“This is the result of peace negotiations with Putin,” said one Ukrainian, after a Russian attack in Dnipro killed four people and injured more than 20 on Saturday. DNIPRO, Ukraine — Soon after Russia launched a massive, deadly drone attack on his city Friday night, killing four people and injuring more than 20 others, Hennady Lytvynov, 60, stood outside watching his street burn — and wondering how this war could ever end. “This is the result of peace negotiations with Putin,” he said, gesturing to what was left of his neighbor's house, struck by one of the drones. “He's not going to do anything. He's going to continue killing civilians.” “Trump promised the war would end in one day, and everyone was waiting for it. He believed that Putin is a friend of his, but he's an enemy,” he added. “He's an enemy of America, of Europe and definitely of Ukraine.” The Ukrainian air force said Russia launched 172 drones at Ukraine overnight, including more than 20 at the eastern city of Dnipro. Most were shot down, but one struck a popular hotel restaurant beside the river that runs through the city. Explosions shook Dnipro throughout the late evening, and the restaurant, which was made of wood and shaped like a boat, erupted into a massive blaze. In other parts of the city, drones or debris hit houses and an apartment building. A pregnant woman was among those wounded, officials said. Russian drones also struck the eastern cities of Sumy and Kharkiv. On Saturday, a missile hit President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown, Kryvyi Rih, wounding several people. The mass attacks came just days after Russia and Ukraine each agreed with the United States on a 30-day cessation in attacks on energy infrastructure. Ukraine had originally agreed to a total ceasefire in the air and at sea, but Russia did not reciprocate. Dnipro residents reeling from Friday's strikes said it was clear that any arrangement to stop attacks on energy infrastructure had in no way dissuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin from ordering strikes on other targets, including civilian gathering places such as restaurants, hotels and homes. There has been major confusion in Ukraine over the terms of the agreement, with Russia backdating the deal to March 18 and suggesting that Washington should lift sanctions in exchange, a term that was not approved by Ukraine and would be seen as unacceptable. Russia also said that violations of the deal would nullify it. Both countries have already accused each other of breaking the ceasefire. Russia has said that Ukraine had “virtually destroyed” a gas metering station in the western Russian town of Sudzha, which Ukraine controlled until a recent Russian counteroffensive. Ukraine has denied responsibility for any such attack. In his daily remarks on Friday, which were published before the drone attack on Dnipro, Zelensky said that he had instructed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov “to present to our American partners all the facts regarding damage to our energy infrastructure caused by Russian attacks.” In the past day, Zelensky said, Russia had struck gas infrastructure in Ukraine's Poltava region and damaged power infrastructure in the southern city of Kherson. Another Russian attack in the northeastern city of Kharkiv damaged equipment for the city's heating supply, he said. “All of this shows that Russia will continue to sabotage diplomacy and will continue to act in this way, and that Moscow's only tactic remains dragging out the war,” Zelensky said. “Putin may say things that sound like he agrees with the American side, but in reality, the Russian army just keeps pushing forward with all available military means.” Zelensky has walked a careful line in recent weeks: trying to caution against trusting that Putin will abide by any ceasefire without irritating Washington, which is plowing ahead with President Donald Trump's goal of ending the war quickly. Many Ukrainians were furious with Trump after he berated Zelensky in the Oval Office and then cut the provision of U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing. Both have since been restored. In a residential building next to the restaurant, a Washington Post reporter asked an employee at the concierge desk who had just survived the strike if he had any message for Trump. The man cursed Trump with a profane Ukrainian expression. He said he once liked and believed in the American president. “My view of him has completely changed,” he said. Across town, Stas Smirnov, 41, stood and watched the house where he had lived for decades burn down. He had stepped outside to buy cigarettes at a gas station just minutes before a Russian drone crashed into his residence — a random decision that likely saved his life. His young daughter was on vacation in Spain. But Vitalii, the security guard he had hired to monitor the house, had been killed in the attack. Smirnov would do everything he could to help his family, he said. He still couldn't believe Vitalii was gone. Meanwhile, Irina Presnikova, 44, was pacing around the block to try to calm down. A neighbor of Smirnov's, she had been at home, less than 10 feet from the impact site. She was shaken but otherwise all right. “I heard there was going to be a ceasefire for a month,” she said. “We had the opposite experience. They're shooting even more now.” Firefighters ran back and forth to their truck, hauling hoses from side to side. They urged Smirnov to move a car out of his garage before it, too, caught fire. He parked it down the road, then got out to keep watching as his family history went up in flames. So much was already gone: his house, Vitalii, any sense of safety. All he could think about now was Guinness — his 5-month-old kitten, named for his deep brown-and-black coat. He had been home when the strike hit, but the fire was still raging and there was no way to try to find him now. Smirnov said he had little hope the kitten had survived — but would not leave until firefighters would at least let him inside to look. By morning, he was allowed to begin his search. He combed through the remains of his home, checking the smoky, ash-covered basement three times with no luck. Then he checked again. And there was Guinness, covered in soot, huddled under a couch. Smirnov didn't know if he'd been there the whole time, not visible through the smoke, or if he had found his way there later. He didn't care. He scooped Guinness into his arms, tucked him against his chest and zipped him into his leather jacket to stay warm. Then he dropped him off at his mother's house to recover. He'd lost almost everything. But not everything, after all. “I don't care about my building, my house, because it's 25 years old,” he said. “It brought me a lot of happiness, but maybe this is the end of its story. I should write another one.”
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration said the strikes damaged a hotel and restaurant complex, dozens of apartment and residential buildings, an administrative building, and an educational institution. In this provided by Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade press service, servicemen of 3rd mechanized battalion, practice on the training ground at an undisclosed location in the east of Ukraine, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the plenary session of the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) A resident watches as his neighbour cleans up the damaged apartment in a multi-storey house after a Russian night drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) In this photo taken on March 16, 2025 and provided by Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade press service, Ukrainian soldiers fire 120mm mortar towards Russian army positions near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP) In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier in a shelter gets ready to fire FPV drones towards Russian positions in a shelter in Kramatorsk direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) A worker of DTEK company climbs up stepladder during repair works of a substation destroyed by a Russian drone strike in undisclosed location, Ukraine, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a view of Pokrovsk, the site of heavy battles with Russian troops, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP) In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) In this combination of file photos, President Donald Trump, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, are seen at the Elysee Palace, Dec. 7, 2024 in Paris, and President Vladimir Putin, right, addresses a Technology Forum in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, left and center, Pavel Bednyakov, right, File) Police officers carry the body of a person killed by a Russian drone strike in a residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko) Ukrainian servicemen collect damaged ammunition on the road at the front line near Chasiv Yar town, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Jan. 10, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanised Brigade via AP, File) KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin's negotiating position in ceasefire talks, Ukrainian government and military analysts said. The move could give Russian President Vladimir Putin every reason to delay discussions about pausing the fighting in favor of seeking more land, the Ukrainian officials said this week, renewing their country's repeated arguments that Russia has no intention of engaging in meaningful dialogue to end the war. In this photo taken on March 16, 2025 and provided by Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade press service, Ukrainian soldiers fire 120mm mortar towards Russian army positions near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP) With the spring fighting season drawing near, the Kremlin is eyeing a multi-pronged push across the 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) front line, according to the analysts and military commanders. Citing intelligence reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is getting ready for new offensives in the northeast in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizizhia regions. “They're dragging out the talks and trying to get the U.S. stuck in endless and pointless discussions about fake ‘conditions' just to buy time and then try to grab more land,” Zelenskyy said Thursday in a visit to Paris. A resident watches as his neighbour cleans up the damaged apartment in a multi-storey house after a Russian night drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Two G7 diplomatic officials in Kyiv agreed with that assessment. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press. Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting, and the feasibility of a partial ceasefire on the Black Sea was thrown into doubt after Kremlin negotiators imposed far-reaching conditions. In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier in a shelter gets ready to fire FPV drones towards Russian positions in a shelter in Kramatorsk direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP) Four people died and 24 were injured Friday evening after Russian drones struck Dnipro in the country's east, according to regional Gov. Serhii Lysak and Ukraine's emergency service. At least eight more people were injured when a Russian ballistic missile struck nearby Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy's hometown, Gov. Lysak reported. Battlefield success is clearly in Putin's mind. “On the entire front line, the strategic initiative is completely in the hands of the Russian armed forces,” Putin said Thursday at a forum in the Arctic port of Murmansk. “Our troops, our guys are moving forward and liberating one territory after another, one settlement after another, every day.” Ukrainian military commanders said Russia recently stepped up attacks to improve its tactical positions ahead of the expected broader offensive. “They need time until May, that's all,” said Ukrainian military analyst Pavlo Narozhnyi, who works with soldiers and learns about intelligence from them. In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a view of Pokrovsk, the site of heavy battles with Russian troops, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP) In the north, Russian and North Korean soldiers have nearly deprived Kyiv of an essential bargaining chip by retaking most of Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian soldiers staged a daring incursion last year. Battles have also escalated along the eastern front in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. A concern among some commanders is whether Russia might divert battle-hardened forces from Kursk to other parts of the east. “It will be hard. The forces from Kursk will come on a high from their wins there,” said a Ukrainian battalion commander in the Donetsk region, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe his concerns. “They are preparing offensive actions on the front that should last from six to nine months, almost all of 2025,” said Ukrainian military analyst Oleksii Hetman, who has connections to the military's general staff. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) Russia entered negotiations with a clear advantage in the war. Now, after recapturing 80% of its territory in the Kursk region ahead of talks, its forces have intensified their fighting across other parts of the front line. “The number of clashes on the front line is not decreasing,” Hetman said. “If they wanted to stop the war, their actions certainly don't show it.” Russia ramped up reconnaissance missions to find and destroy firing positions, drone systems and other capabilities that could impede a future onslaught, two Ukrainian commanders said. “These can be all signs that an attack is being prepared in the near future,” Hetman said. The Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday also claimed that its troops had taken a village in Ukraine's Sumy region, across the border from Kursk. Zelenskyy earlier named the province as one of the targets for a Russian spring offensive. The Russian claim could not be independently verified, and Ukraine did not comment. Fighting also intensified in the eastern city of Pokrovsk, one of Ukraine's main defensive strongholds and a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region. Its capture would bring Russia closer to its stated aim of capturing the entire region. “The Russians were significantly exhausted over the past two months. During 10 days of March, they took a sort of pause,” military spokesman Maj. Viktor Trehubov said of the situation in Pokrovsk. In mid-March, the attack resumed. “This means the Russians have simply recovered.” Police officers carry the body of a person killed by a Russian drone strike in a residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko) A Ukrainian soldier with the call sign “Italian” said Russia was conducting intensive reconnaissance in his area of responsibility in the Pokrovsk region. Radio intercepts and intelligence show a buildup of forces in the area around Selidove, a city in the Pokrovsk region, and the creation of ammunition reserves, he said. The buildup includes large armored vehicles, and the many new call signs overheard in radio transmissions suggest that fresh forces are coming in, he said. Farther south, a military blog run by Mikhail Zvinchuk, a former officer of the Russian Defense Ministry's press section, noted last week that Russian troops recently unleashed a new offensive west of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region. The offensive will allow Russian forces to move toward the city of Zaporizhzhia and “force the enemy to redeploy its troops from other sectors, leaving Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka badly protected,” the blog known as Rybar said, adding that the new offensive “could be the first step toward the liberation of the Zaporizhzhia region.” On Friday, Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine, said the situation in the region is fraught after Russia amassed more forces to conduct assaults with small groups of infantry. Russian analysts project optimism that a future offensive will succeed. “Both sides are actively preparing for the spring-summer campaign,” Sergey Poletaev, a Moscow-based military analyst, wrote in a recent commentary. “There's a growing sense that the Ukrainian forces may be struggling to prepare for it adequately.” In this combination of file photos, President Donald Trump, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, are seen at the Elysee Palace, Dec. 7, 2024 in Paris, and President Vladimir Putin, right, addresses a Technology Forum in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, left and center, Pavel Bednyakov, right, File) Meanwhile at the negotiating table, Russian demands have curtailed the results of much-anticipated negotiations brokered by the U.S. Earlier this month, after Russia effectively turned down the U.S. proposal for a complete, monthlong halt in the fighting, Moscow tentatively agreed to a partial ceasefire on Black Sea shipping routes. But that agreement was quickly cast into doubt by Russia's insistence on far-reaching conditions that its state bank be reconnected to the SWIFT international payment system, something Kyiv and the EU rejected outright. Along the front line, the reported ups and downs of the talks fuel frustration and worry. “No one believes in them,” said the Ukrainian soldier known as Italian, who spoke on the condition that he be identified only by his call sign in keeping with military protocol. “But there is still hope that the conflict will move in another direction. Everyone is waiting for some changes in the combat zone because it is not good for us now. We really don't want to admit that.” Associated Press journalists Volodymyr Yurchuk and Dmytro Zhyhinas contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Myanmar Earthquake LIVE Updates: The death count from a massive earthquake in Myanmar has jumped to 1,644, with 3,408 people injured, the country's ruling junta said Saturday. The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar on Friday causing massive destruction across large parts of the country. India on Saturday underscored its swift response to the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, reaffirming its commitment to being the "first responder," highlighting the meaning of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family). In a special briefing on Operation Brahma by the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has committed all possible support from India to earthquake-hit Myanmar, adding that India has always been the first responder in such situations. "When we say the world is one family, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, we also want to mean it. We want to prove that by action and therefore, you know, we are very humbled when we have this opportunity to respond to a crisis such as what has happened in Myanmar and extend our support to people," he said. Doctors in Bangkok delivered a baby on the street outside the Police General Hospital during the massive earthquake in Thailand. The woman was in surgery when the tremors hit on Friday, and doctors were forced to evacuate the hospital. The patient was carried out of the hospital by medical teams and, surrounded by healthcare staff, gave birth to a baby boy, said Police Colonel Sirikul Srisanga, the hospital's spokesperson. All modes of transportation are continuing, or resuming, normal operations. This includes airports, railways, road, and boat services. A number of sources suggest that today, 29 March 2025, essential services, as well as businesses and tourist service providers, are operating as normal. The areas affected by the earthquake have been limited to certain sites where search and rescue have continued. While the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) did report multiple aftershocks, they were at lower scales and did not result in further damage to various areas of Thailand. The situation has largely returned to normal. At the same time, the relevant agencies, in particular the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), TMD, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and provincial authorities remain on alert to monitor the situation and stand ready to provide further assistance. In a statement, Thailand's Ministry of External Affairs released helpline numbers for stranded tourists. General Emergency: 191 Tourist Police Hotline: 1155 Fire and Rescue Department: 199 Emergency Medical Services: 1669 DDPM Hotline: 1784 "Foreign nationals who require emergency assistance may contact the following (above) hotlines, or the local or provincial authorities where you are located," the statement said. As per the XP Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team landed in Naypyitaw on Saturday and was warmly received by officials there. First C130 landed in Naypyitaw. The NDRF team was received by Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur and Maung Maung Lynn, Ambassador-at-large, in Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the MEA stated. India is the first to bring rescue personnel in the capital. The NDRF team will proceed to Mandalay tomorrow early morning, and the Indian NDRF rescue team will be the first rescue team to reach Mandalay for rescue operations, as per the MEA. #OperationBrahma 🇮🇳🇲🇲01 self-contained Heavy Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) team comprising 80 skilled rescuers including 04 canines, specialized equipment and tools being airlifted for Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar in two sorties for #SAR operations in earthquake-affected regions. pic.twitter.com/xuHIiYC3xS A severe lack of medical supplies is hampering efforts in Myanmar to respond to the earthquake, the United Nations said Saturday, adding that those affected needed urgent humanitarian assistance. "A severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines, and tents for health workers," the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in an update. A powerful earthquake has killed more than 1,000 people in war-torn Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand and caused widespread damage.China sent an 82-person team of rescuers to Myanmar on Saturday, Beijing's emergency management ministry said.US President Donald Trump on Friday vowed Washington would assist Myanmar, describing the quake as "terrible".The European Union said it was providing 2.5 million euros ($2.7 million) in initial emergency aid. China sent an 82-person team of rescuers to Myanmar on Saturday, Beijing's emergency management ministry said. US President Donald Trump on Friday vowed Washington would assist Myanmar, describing the quake as "terrible". The European Union said it was providing 2.5 million euros ($2.7 million) in initial emergency aid. In the chaos of Friday's earthquake, a Thai woman gave birth to a baby girl on a rolling bed in a hospital as it was being evacuated. Kanthong Saenmuangshin, 36, had gone to hospital for a routine check-up but went into labour after the ground started shaking. Kanthong's waters broke while she was being escorted by medical staff of the Police General Hospital down five flights of stairs, and she was worried she would give birth on the stairway. The death toll from a major earthquake in Myanmar has risen to 1,644, the ruling junta said Saturday, with 3,408 people injured. A statement from the junta's information team said that at least 139 people are still missing after Friday's shallow 7.7-magnitude quake. Rescuers pulled a woman alive from the wreckage of a collapsed apartment building in Mandalay on Saturday, AFP journalists saw, 30 hours after a devastating quake hit Myanmar. Phyu Lay Khaing, 30, was brought out of the Sky Villa Condominium by rescuers and carried by stretcher to be embraced by her husband Ye Aung and taken to hospital. Intensifying its efforts for aiding relief and rescue work in earthquake-hit Myanmar under 'Operation Brahma', India has dispatched two naval ships to the neighbouring country while a field hospital is slated to be airlifted later on Saturday, the MEA said. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a briefing that two more Indian naval ships would follow under this humanitarian assistance operation. Besides the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) being sent via aircraft, a field hospital with 118 members from Agra is expected to leave later on Saturday, he said. India handed over the relief material to Myanmar on Saturday following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday. India's Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur, handed over relief material to Yangon's Chief Minister, U Soe Thein. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "Operation Brahma: India hands over the relief material to Myanmar. The first consignment of relief material was formally handed over to Chief Minister of Yangon U Soe Thein by Ambassador Abhay Thakur in Yangon today." Just a day after a series of powerful earthquakes ravaged Myanmar, claiming over a thousand lives, the nation was struck by another 5.1-magnitude tremor on Saturday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The latest seismic activity occurred near Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw, around 2.50 p.m., at a depth of 10 km. The full extent of damage and potential casualties from this new tremor, which impacted the same regions affected by Friday's earthquakes, remains unclear. Following the initial quake near Sagaing, the region experienced 12 aftershocks, ranging from 2.8 to 7.5 in magnitude, further exacerbating the already dire situation. Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeastern Shan State, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw have been identified as the hardest-hit areas, Xinhua news agency reported. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday stated that Indian Navy Ships INS Satpura and INS Savitri have headed to Yangon port in Myanmar carrying aid under Operation Brahma. The ships are carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid for earthquake-hit Myanmar. In a post on X, S Jaishankar said, "Operation Brahma Indian Navy ships INS Satpura & INS Savitri are carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid and headed for the port of Yangon." More than 90 people could be trapped inside the crushed remains of an apartment block in Mandalay in central Myanmar destroyed by a devastating earthquake, a Red Cross official told AFP on Saturday as rescuers worked to free the victims. The Sky Villa Condominium development is among the buildings in Mandalay that were worst hit by Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake, with several of its 12 storeys pancaked one on top of the other. "Nine people are dead and 44 have been extracted alive," the Red Cross official at the scene told AFP, requesting anonymity. India is sending a contingent of 80 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel for relief and rescue works in earthquake-hit Myanmar, officials here said Saturday. The personnel of the federal disaster contingency force are being deployed under 'Operation Brahma' with quake rescue equipment like strong concrete cutters, drill machines, hammers etc. to provide succour to the neighbouring country. "A team of 80 NDRF personnel are being airlifted to Myanmar onboard two IAF sorties from Hindon in Ghaziabad. The teams are expected to reach by Saturday evening," an official told PTI. "Spoke with Senior General H.E. Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar. Conveyed our deep condolences at the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake. As a close friend and neighbour, India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this difficult hour. Disaster relief material, humanitarian assistance, search & rescue teams are being expeditiously dispatched to the affected areas as part of #OperationBrahma," says PM Modi. South Korea plans to offer humanitarian aid worth $2 million to Myanmar to assist the country's people affected by the catastrophic quake, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Saturday. "We decided to provide $2 million worth of humanitarian assistance via an international organisation to help speedy responses against damage caused by the quake in Myanmar," the ministry said. Six people have died and at least 50 workers are feared trapped are a building collapsed in Bangkok yesterday due to a powerful earthquake. Authorities have sought help from abroad to rescue the trapped workers. They have also ordered an enquiry into the building collapse and formed an investigating committee. The death count from a massive earthquake in Myanmar has passed 1,000, the ruling junta said this morning, with more than 2,000 injured. A statement from the junta's information team said 1,002 people are known to have died in Friday's shallow 7.7-magnitude quake, with 2,376 injured. A massive earthquake struck Myanmar and parts of neighbouring Thailand, leaving a trail of destruction and a mounting death count. As of Saturday, the official count stands at 694 deaths with 1,670 people injured, according to Myanmar's ruling junta. The death toll from a massive earthquake in Myanmar has jumped to 694, with 1,670 people injured, the country's ruling junta said Saturday. The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar on Friday causing massive destruction across large parts of the country. The death toll from a massive earthquake in Myanmar has jumped to 694, with 1,670 people injured, the country's ruling junta said Saturday. The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar on Friday causing massive destruction across large parts of the country. The relief material includes tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, hygiene kits, solar lamps, generator sets and essential medicines. A powerful earthquake centred in Myanmar has killed more than 150 people in the war-torn country and neighbouring Thailand and caused widespread damage. Here is what we know: Powerful, and shallow The 7.7-magnitude quake hit northwest of Myanmar's Sagaing at 12:50 pm (0650 GMT) on Friday at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (six miles). It was followed minutes later by a powerful 6.7-magnitude aftershock and a dozen smaller tremors. Over 150 killed At least 144 people have been confirmed dead in the quake in Myanmar, according to the country's junta chief. However, Min Aung Hlaing warned the toll was likely to rise given the widespread destruction across the country. Widespread damage The quake caused extensive damage in Myanmar. There was massive destruction in Mandalay, where multiple buildings collapsed into piles of rubble and twisted metal coated in dust, dotted with people attempting rescues. The Ava bridge running across the Irawaddy river from Sagaing, built nearly 100 years ago, collapsed into the swirling waters below. Aid pleas, offers The scale of the devastation prompted Myanmar's isolated military regime to make a rare plea for international assistance. Myanmar's junta chief invited "any country, any organisation" to help with relief and said he he "opened all ways for foreign aid". Offers of assistance flooded in, with India among the first to say it was ready to help. Myanmar lies on the boundary between two tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active countries, although large and destructive earthquakes have been relatively rare in the Sagaing region. "The plate boundary between the India Plate and Eurasia Plate runs approximately north-south, cutting through the middle of the country," said Joanna Faure Walker, a professor and earthquake expert at University College London. She said the plates move past each other horizontally at different speeds. While this causes "strike slip" quakes that are normally less powerful than those seen in "subduction zones" like Sumatra, where one plate slides under another, they can still reach magnitudes of 7 to 8. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has offered help to Myanmar and Thailand and sent condolences to its Southeast Asian neighbours after a powerful earthquake left over 150 people dead. "I extend my deepest condolences for the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of both countries during this difficult time. Indonesia stands ready to provide all necessary support for recovery efforts in the affected areas," he wrote on X. The United Nations is mobilising relief for quake-hit Myanmar where nearly 150 people have died, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday."The government of Myanmar has asked for international support, and our team in Myanmar is already in contact in order to fully mobilise our resources in the region to support the people of Myanmar," he told reporters.While other countries have also been affected, "the epicentre is in Myanmar, and Myanmar is the weakest country in this present situation," he added. An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 on the Richter Scale jolted Myanmar on Friday at 11:56 pm (local time), according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). As per the NCS, the latest earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.The NCS reported the earthquake was recorded at Latitude 22.15 N and Longitude 95.41 E. India will send around 15 tonnes of relief materials in a military transport aircraft to earthquake-hit Myanmar on Saturday, sources said. Pope Francis is showing "slight improvements" as he recovers at home from five weeks in hospital with life-threatening double pneumonia, with his voice notably now stronger, the Vatican said Friday.The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church is also following the news, and offered his prayers for the victims of the powerful earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand, the press office said. The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church is also following the news, and offered his prayers for the victims of the powerful earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand, the press office said. President Donald Trump on Friday vowed the United States would assist Myanmar after it was hit by a huge earthquake that also shook Thailand, with many killed and trapped in collapsed buildings. Trump told reporters "we will be helping" as images emerged of flattened buildings, downed bridges and cracked roads. Over 150 people have been reportedly killed and hundreds injured after the six earthquakes hit near Sagaing in central Myanmar at 12.50pm (local time) Friday, state-run broadcaster MRTV said. The toll includes casualties from a hospital in capital Naypyidaw - which is likely to become a "mass casualty area", doctors there told news agency AFP Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake LIVE Updates: At least 144 people were killed and 732 injured after six earthquakes - the biggest of 7.7 magnitude - hit central Myanmar at 12.50pm (local time) Friday, state-run broadcaster MRTV has said. Tremors and aftershocks struck parts of Thailand, China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The WHO said it had triggered its emergency management system in response to Friday's "huge" earthquake in Myanmar and was mobilising its logistics hub in Dubai to prepare trauma injury supplies. The World Health Organization is coordinating its earthquake response from its Geneva headquarters "because we see this as a huge event" with "clearly a very, very big threat to life and health", spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a media briefing. "We've activated our logistics hub to look particularly for trauma supplies and things like external fixators because we expect that there will be many, many injuries that need to be dealt with," Margaret Harris said. She said the WHO would also be concentrating on getting in essential medicines, while the health infrastructure in Myanmar itself might be damaged. About 20 people have died at a major hospital in Myanmar's capital after a huge earthquake hit the country, causing widespread destruction, a doctor told AFP. "About 20 people died after they arrived at our hospital so far. Many people were injured," said the doctor at the 1,000-bed general hospital in Naypyidaw, who requested anonymity. #WATCH | Delhi | On the Myanmar-Thailand earthquake, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "...we are currently analysing report of damage primarily in Myanmar. We are in touch with the authorities in Myanmar and are also looking at the exact requirements in terms of the… pic.twitter.com/cQd946UoSR— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2025 #WATCH | Delhi | On the Myanmar-Thailand earthquake, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "...we are currently analysing report of damage primarily in Myanmar. We are in touch with the authorities in Myanmar and are also looking at the exact requirements in terms of the… pic.twitter.com/cQd946UoSR Rows of wounded lay outside the emergency department of the 1,000-bed hospital in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw on Friday, some writhing in pain and others in shock after a powerful earthquake. A stream of casualties were brought to the hospital -- some in cars, others in pickups, and others carried on stretchers, their bodies bloody and covered in dust. "This is a mass casualty area", a hospital official said, as they ushered journalists away from the treatment area. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday the 27-nation bloc stood ready to help after a strong, deadly earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand. "Heartbreaking scenes from Myanmar and Thailand after the devastating earthquake. My thoughts are with the victims and their families," von der Leyen wrote on X. "Europe's Copernicus satellites are already helping first responders. We are ready to provide more support." Thailand Earthquake LIVE Updates: When the ground began to tremble violently beneath his feet, Prem Kishore Mohanty from India was sitting in the auditorium of his daughter's school in Thailand's Bangkok. Thailand Earthquake LIVE Updates: When the ground began to tremble violently beneath his feet, Prem Kishore Mohanty from India was sitting in the auditorium of his daughter's school in Thailand's Bangkok. After powerful earthquake tremors recorded in Bangkok and in other parts of Thailand, the Embassy is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Thai authorities. So far, no untoward incident involving any Indian citizen has been reported.In case of any emergency,…— India in Thailand (@IndiainThailand) March 28, 2025 After powerful earthquake tremors recorded in Bangkok and in other parts of Thailand, the Embassy is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Thai authorities. So far, no untoward incident involving any Indian citizen has been reported.In case of any emergency,… Initial reports on the impact of a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar on Friday indicate significant damage in the centre of the country, an official from the United Nations Office on Humanitarian Affairs said. "We are gathering information about the people impacted, infrastructure damage, and immediate humanitarian needs to guide a response," a spokesperson said. At least three workers were killed when a 30-storey under-construction tower collapsed in Bangkok after a major earthquake on Friday, the Thai deputy prime minister said. Phumtham Wechayachai said 81 people were trapped in the rubble after the collapse, which followed the powerful 7.7 magnitude quake centred in Myanmar. Rows of wounded lay outside the emergency department of the 1,000-bed hospital in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw, some writhing in pain and others in shock after a powerful earthquake. A stream of casualties were brought to the hospital -- some in cars, others in pickups, and others carried on stretchers, their bodies bloody and covered in dust. "This is a mass casualty area", a hospital official said, as they ushered journalists away from the treatment area. The hospital's emergency department was itself heavily damaged, a car crushed under the heavy concrete of its fallen entrance. People were seen sitting stunned with their head in their hands, blood caking their faces and limbs. A 7.7 magnitude Mandalay earthquake was also felt in Bangkok, where an entire construction building has collapsed. pic.twitter.com/0moBXpj1sG— Heung Min Son (@heungburma) March 28, 2025 A 7.7 magnitude Mandalay earthquake was also felt in Bangkok, where an entire construction building has collapsed. pic.twitter.com/0moBXpj1sG JUST IN: Fire and heavy damage at Mandalay University in Myanmar, reports of casualties pic.twitter.com/zgcogKCJvt— BNO News (@BNONews) March 28, 2025 JUST IN: Fire and heavy damage at Mandalay University in Myanmar, reports of casualties pic.twitter.com/zgcogKCJvt Myanmar's ruling junta made a rare request for international humanitarian aid and declared a state of emergency across six regions after a powerful quake hit the country. AFP reporters saw junta chief Min Aung Hlaing arrive at a hospital in Naypyidaw where wounded were being treated after the 7.7-magnitude quake hit central Myanmar. The Stock Exchange of Thailand suspended all trading activities for the afternoon session after a strong earthquake struck neighbouring Myanmar, the tremors of which were felt in Thailand's capital, Bangkok. "Following the earthquake incident, the Stock Exchange of Thailand hereby announces the immediate suspension of all trading activities," the bourse operator said on its website. "The closure affects all markets, including SET, the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI), and the Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX), for today's afternoon session." In the Thai capital of Bangkok, a 30-storey building under construction collapsed, trapping 43 workers, police and medics said. The massive building intended for government offices was reduced to a tangle of rubble and twisted metal in seconds, footage shared on social media showed. Across the border in Myanmar, a team of AFP journalists were at the National Museum in Naypyidaw when the earthquake struck. Pieces fell from the ceiling as the building began shaking. Uniformed staff ran outside, some trembling and tearful, others grabbing cellphones to try to contact loved ones. Roads nearby were buckled and broken by the tremors and the route to one of the city's biggest hospitals was jammed with traffic. A powerful earthquake rattled Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand, trapping dozens of workers in a collapsed under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok where a state of emergency was declared. The 7.7-magnitude tremor hit northwest of the city of Sagaing on Friday afternoon at a shallow depth, the United States Geological Survey said. A 6.4-magnitude aftershock hit the same area minutes later. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Tens of thousands of Newcastle fans have gathered in the city to celebrate the team's Carabao Cup win An open top bus parade left St James' Park at 16:30 GMT and travelled to a large celebration on the Town Moor Watch live using the link at the top of the page Newcastle beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley to claim the trophy The club's last trophy was the old Fairs Cup in 1969 but the 1955 FA was the club's last domestic success Reporting by Pamela Tickell and edited by Rachel Kerr This video on Newcastle United's X gives an idea of the huge crowds which gathered around St James' Park to watch the start of the parade earlier. Allow X content? This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue'. Jim ScottBBC North East & Cumbria Poppy, 10, from Washington got a wave from Dan Burn It's Andy's (in the white jacket) birthday today. He says it "couldn't have been a better birthday present" seeing his team parade past Ray Wood, son Joseph, 14, from Horden in County Durham couldn't hold back his tears. He's been coming to nearly every big match since the 70s About 150,000 fans have gathered at the Town Moor to continue the celebrations. "It's a Geordie carnival," spectators say. We're expecting the team on stage soon for a trophy lift. Emma MillenBBC Radio Newcastle Standing behind a sea of black and white, the atmosphere in the crowd is pure passion, charged with an energy that makes you want to slap your chest and shout "Toon Army". The roar of the fans bouncing off the buildings and thunderous cheer echoing through the streets of Newcastle. There is a sense of disbelief mixed with pure joy, faces lit up in wide grins, eyes gleaming from the young lasses dressing in their black and white tutus to the dogs with their NUFC bandanas and the mixture of different variations of the team strip from the last 70 years. Fans hug, jump, and dance. It's a proper celebration and makes you super proud to be a Geordie! The buses have reached the Town Moor (25 minutes past schedule, but who's counting?). Tens of thousands of fans are screaming the tune to Hey Jude, replacing "Jude" with "Geordies". BBC Look North presenter Dawn Thewlis is there. She says fans who have been watching the parade in the city centre are now streaming into the large moor on the edge of town. "They're coming in their thousands," she says. "It's a fantastic atmosphere." This video can not be played Newcastle fans flock to the streets for Carabao Cup win parade Here is the bus passing through Haymarket, which is usually a busy road through traffic through the city centre. Pamela TickellBBC News, North East and Cumbria The buses are now on the Great North Road having passed through the city centre. They're heading to the celebration at the Town Moor. You can see the action using the link at the top of the page Adam SamuelBBC Look North sports reporter The sight of the players setting off on the bus parade naturally got the biggest cheer of the day. Ant and Dec were a very close second. It's very cool being here, waiting for the outpouring of emotion when this city's heroes appear in the flesh. There are just so many people lining the streets, roaring as the team passes by on the open-top bus. The cup is being passed around by the players and raised to the delight of the tens of thousands of fans. Ant and Dec are living their best lives - the lifelong Newcastle fans are on top of one of the open-top buses. Look at the joy on their faces! This video can not be played Lifelong fans Ant & Dec join players on parade bus Lifelong Newcastle fans Ant and Dec have interviewed the "gaffer" Eddie Howe on the open-top bus. "Unbelievable. I didn't know what to expect today," Howe says. "This is really incredible, absolutely mind-blowing. "You've got people hanging from lampposts, out of building, I hope everyone's all right." Howe said he was "very emotional" when he saw the massive flag of himself outside the stadium. "The people have been absolutely brilliant. "I can't thank everyone enough, from Newcastle, the way they've embraced me and my family and I'm glad to have given them some joy." BBC NewcastleBBC Radio Newcastle This video can not be played Newcastle United players boarding the open top bus for their Carabao Cup celebrations. Two buses full of Newcastle United players starting their parade of honour through the city centre. The crowds are massive and the cheers are deafening. Nisha JoshiBBC broadcast journalist Hear that noise! The atmosphere is electric. We can see the players standing on the bus and they've got their scarves on It's very windy here. You can hear the fans shouting. Some have been out here since the morning. Ant and Dec are on the bus too, interviewing players. And you can see some of the players are filming it, it's a historic moment. This video can not be played Sped-up video of giant Eddie Howe banner unveiled near St James' Park Wor Flags - a group of supporters who create dazzling displays for Newcastle United's fans - have unveiled a massive banner of manager Eddie Howe outside St James' Park, to the delight of the tens of thousands of people below. I wonder how Eddie will react when he sees it? Pamela TickellBBC News, North East and Cumbria The open-top bus has pulled out of St James' Park and is heading on to its way into the city centre. Stay tuned for pictures... You can watch what's happening live using the link at the top of the page or by clicking here. This video can not be played After a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy, Newcastle United have secured the Carabao Cup The open-top bus parade will begin at St James' Park at 16:30 GMT and travel about a mile-and-a-half through the city centre to the Town Moor. We're getting more pictures from outside St James' Park. The crowd has swelled in size. The players and manager Eddie Howe are expected to start the open-top bus route at the stadium at 16:30 GMT. They will then head through town, past Haymarket and up to the Town Moor. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Dr. Sergio Alfieri told The Associated Press that the Pope was “very lively,'' after visiting the pope at his apartment in the Santa Marta Domus on Wednesday, three days after his release from Rome's Gemelli hospital. Pope Francis has shown ‘'a truly surprising improvement'' since returning to the Vatican to convalesce after surviving a life-threatening bout with double-pneumonia, according to the doctor who coordinated the pontiff's 5-week hospitalization. Pope Francis gestures as he appears at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Sunday, March 23, 2025, where he has been treated for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, talks during an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, leaves after an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, poses for a photo during an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, talks during an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, talks with his team before an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, walks with his team before an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, second from left, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, leaves a patient room his team before an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, right, second from left, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, talks with his team before an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Professor and surgeon Sergio Alfieri, right, second from left, who headed the team who treated Pope Francis during his hospitalisation, walks in a hospital ward before an interview with the Associated Press at the Gemelli polyclinic hospital in Rome, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has shown ‘'a truly surprising improvement'' since returning to the Vatican to convalesce after surviving a life-threatening bout with double-pneumonia, the doctor who coordinated the pontiff's five-week hospitalization said Saturday. “I find him very lively,'' Dr. Sergio Alfieri said, after visiting the pope at his apartment in the Santa Marta Domus on Wednesday, three days after his release from Rome's Gemelli hospital. “I believe that he will return if not to 100%, 90% of where he was before.'' Francis appeared frail and weak as he greeted a crowd of well-wishers from a hospital balcony on Sunday. His voice was waning as he praised a woman in the crowd for bringing yellow flowers. He was able to only partially lift his arm to bless the people and he gasped for air as he was wheeled back inside. Alfieri said the pope's voice was regaining strength, and that his reliance on supplemental oxygen has decreased. The limited mobility of his arm was due to an unspecified trauma he sustained before being hospitalized, and that will take time to heal, Alfieri said. The 88-year-old pope was hospitalized on Feb. 14 after a long bout with bronchitis that left him breathless at times, and which quickly developed into double pneumonia and revealed a polymicrobial (viral, bacterial and fungal) respiratory infection. Throughout the ordeal, doctors emphasized the complexity of his condition, given his age, lack of mobility requiring a wheelchair, and the removal of part of a lung as a young man. Alfieri repeated that he didn't think the pope would make it after a severe respiratory crisis a week after being hospitalized, and he informed the pope that a “decisive” treatment necessary to save him would put his organs at risk. ''He gave his consent, and then he looked a Massimiliano Streppetti, whom he named his personal health assistant who assumed the responsibility, to say, ‘We approve everything,' also at the price of coming out with damaged kidneys or bone marrow that produces damaging red blood cells,'' said Alfieri. Alfieri preferred to describe the treatment as “decisive,'' and not aggressive, and emphasized that no extraordinary, life-extending measures were ever taken. The Feb. 22 incident was one of several critical moments when the pope's life hung in the balance, the doctor said. While Francis beat the double pneumonia in the hospital, Alfieri said he is continuing to treat the fungal infection, which he said will take months to resolve. The pope is also receiving physical, respiratory and speech therapy. Alfieri continues to consult the pope's personal medical team daily, and will visit Francis in the Vatican every week. The pope demonstrated his trademark humor in this week's visit, responding to a comment by Alfieri that the 88-year-old pontiff had the mentality of a 50- or 60-year-old. “As I leaned in, he said, ‘Not 50, 40,''' Alfieri recalled. “So his good sense of humor is back.'' Doctors have ordered the pope to rest for at least two months and to avoid crowds. But after seeing the pope's improvements and knowing his work ethic, Alfieri warned that “if he recovers so quickly, they will have to put on the brakes.'' Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. İmamoğlu, widely seen as the main political challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 22-year rule, was jailed on 23 March pending trial on corruption charges. Hundreds of thousands of protesters have congregated in Istanbul to how their support for the city's imprisoned mayor and demand his release. Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP) organised the demonstration, the latest in a series of protests that have resulted in hundreds of arrests and have dialled up the pressure on the country's long-time leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key political rival to Erdoğan, was detained on 19 March on corruption and terrorism charges that many saw as politically motivated. The government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference. His detention, and later formal arrest on corruption charges on 23 March, sparked nationwide protests despite assembly bans, police crackdowns and legal prosecution by authorities. "They've detained hundreds of our children, thousands of our youths... arrested hundreds of them," CHP leader Özgür Özel told protesters. "They only had one goal in mind: to intimidate them, terrify them, make sure they never go out again." Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Thursday that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since 19 March and pro-government media reported on Friday that public prosecutors had requested up to three years imprisonment for 74 of the detainees. Police kept their distance at Saturday's rally with no new arrests reported. Özel called for the immediate release of İmamoğlu, as well as for other political prisoners including Selahattin Demirtaş, a former presidential candidate and founder of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM). "In the Turkey we envision, presidential candidates will not be imprisoned," added Özel. Last Sunday, hours after he had been formally arrested, İmamoğlu won a symbolic primary to be the CHP's candidate in a presidential election currently scheduled for 2028, but which is likely to take place earlier. Özel noted they would begin collecting signatures for İmamoğlu's release and also to demand an early election.
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Columbia University's interim president, Katrina Armstrong, has stepped down, the school said, at a time when the New York-based institution is facing intense pressure from both the government and rights advocates over its response to pro-Palestinian protests.Armstrong is returning to lead the university's Irving Medical Center, Columbia announced on Friday. It did not give a reason for the change.“Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed acting president, effective immediately, and will serve until the board completes its presidential search,” it said. US President Donald Trump's administration canceled $400 million in federal funding for Columbia, saying the university did not do enough to combat antisemitism and student safety amid last year's campus protests over the Israel-Hamas War.Last week, the school agreed to make changes demanded by the Trump administration, sparking anger from rights advocates, who called it an assault on free speech.People rally against the detention by ICE agents of Hamas supporter and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City, on March 20, 2025. Media analysts who spew incorrect details proclaim violations of freedom of speech and the right to assembly, the writer claims. (credit: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)Armstrong's final statementIn a campus-wide email at the time, Armstrong wrote that her priorities were “to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.”Columbia was at the center of the Gaza encampment protests in the summer of 2024 that spread across the United States. Protesters demanded an end to Israel's war, which followed Hamas's October 7 attacks, and urged their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel. Armstrong is returning to lead the university's Irving Medical Center, Columbia announced on Friday. It did not give a reason for the change.“Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed acting president, effective immediately, and will serve until the board completes its presidential search,” it said. US President Donald Trump's administration canceled $400 million in federal funding for Columbia, saying the university did not do enough to combat antisemitism and student safety amid last year's campus protests over the Israel-Hamas War.Last week, the school agreed to make changes demanded by the Trump administration, sparking anger from rights advocates, who called it an assault on free speech.People rally against the detention by ICE agents of Hamas supporter and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City, on March 20, 2025. Media analysts who spew incorrect details proclaim violations of freedom of speech and the right to assembly, the writer claims. (credit: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)Armstrong's final statementIn a campus-wide email at the time, Armstrong wrote that her priorities were “to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.”Columbia was at the center of the Gaza encampment protests in the summer of 2024 that spread across the United States. Protesters demanded an end to Israel's war, which followed Hamas's October 7 attacks, and urged their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel. “Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed acting president, effective immediately, and will serve until the board completes its presidential search,” it said. US President Donald Trump's administration canceled $400 million in federal funding for Columbia, saying the university did not do enough to combat antisemitism and student safety amid last year's campus protests over the Israel-Hamas War.Last week, the school agreed to make changes demanded by the Trump administration, sparking anger from rights advocates, who called it an assault on free speech.People rally against the detention by ICE agents of Hamas supporter and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City, on March 20, 2025. Media analysts who spew incorrect details proclaim violations of freedom of speech and the right to assembly, the writer claims. (credit: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)Armstrong's final statementIn a campus-wide email at the time, Armstrong wrote that her priorities were “to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.”Columbia was at the center of the Gaza encampment protests in the summer of 2024 that spread across the United States. Protesters demanded an end to Israel's war, which followed Hamas's October 7 attacks, and urged their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel. US President Donald Trump's administration canceled $400 million in federal funding for Columbia, saying the university did not do enough to combat antisemitism and student safety amid last year's campus protests over the Israel-Hamas War.Last week, the school agreed to make changes demanded by the Trump administration, sparking anger from rights advocates, who called it an assault on free speech.People rally against the detention by ICE agents of Hamas supporter and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City, on March 20, 2025. Media analysts who spew incorrect details proclaim violations of freedom of speech and the right to assembly, the writer claims. (credit: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)Armstrong's final statementIn a campus-wide email at the time, Armstrong wrote that her priorities were “to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.”Columbia was at the center of the Gaza encampment protests in the summer of 2024 that spread across the United States. Protesters demanded an end to Israel's war, which followed Hamas's October 7 attacks, and urged their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel. Last week, the school agreed to make changes demanded by the Trump administration, sparking anger from rights advocates, who called it an assault on free speech.People rally against the detention by ICE agents of Hamas supporter and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City, on March 20, 2025. Media analysts who spew incorrect details proclaim violations of freedom of speech and the right to assembly, the writer claims. (credit: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)Armstrong's final statementIn a campus-wide email at the time, Armstrong wrote that her priorities were “to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.”Columbia was at the center of the Gaza encampment protests in the summer of 2024 that spread across the United States. Protesters demanded an end to Israel's war, which followed Hamas's October 7 attacks, and urged their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel. In a campus-wide email at the time, Armstrong wrote that her priorities were “to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.”Columbia was at the center of the Gaza encampment protests in the summer of 2024 that spread across the United States. Protesters demanded an end to Israel's war, which followed Hamas's October 7 attacks, and urged their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel. Columbia was at the center of the Gaza encampment protests in the summer of 2024 that spread across the United States. Protesters demanded an end to Israel's war, which followed Hamas's October 7 attacks, and urged their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel.
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. In this photo taken from video released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Saturday, March 29, 2025, Russian Emergency Ministry employees gather to board one of two planes with rescuers to Myanmar following Friday's earthquake, from a Moscow airfield, Russia. (Russia Emergency Ministry press service via AP) In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese rescuers arrive at the Yangon International Airport in Yangon, Myanmar on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Haymhan Aung/Xinhua via AP) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, victims caused by an earthquake is seen compound of government hospital Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) Volunteers look for survivors near a damaged building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Relatives of workers of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake wait as rescuers search for victims, in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) People wait at the damaged construction site of a high-rise building in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025, as rescuers search for victims following its collapse after an earthquake. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescue workers take an injured man who was trapped under a building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Patients are evacuated outdoors at a hospital after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Tadchakorn Kitchaiphon) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, Myanmar's military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, center, inspects damaged road caused by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) Rescue workers help an injured women who was trapped under a building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) People stand near a damaged construction site of a high-rise building in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025, as rescuers search for victims following its collapse after Friday's earthquake. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Rescuers walk past the ruin of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) BANGKOK (AP) — The death toll from Myanmar's powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake keeps climbing amid rescue efforts. The military government said Saturday that 1,644 people have been killed, with thousands of others injured and dozens missing. The earthquake struck midday Friday, followed by several aftershocks, including one that measured 6.4. In Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, leaving 10 people dead. Several countries, including Malaysia, Russia and China have dispatched rescue and relief teams. Here is the latest: An initial situation report on earthquake relief efforts issued Saturday by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that it's mobilizing with other groups, and $5 million has been allocated from a Central Emergency Response Fund for “life-saving assistance.” “Supply infrastructure and communication towers were severely impacted, electricity and water services were disrupted, including in Yangon Region,” it noted. “Landline, mobile and internet networks remain unstable.” The immediate planned measures include a convoy of 17 cargo trucks carrying critical shelter and medical supplies from China that is expected to arrive on Sunday, it said. It noted the severe damage or destruction of many health facilities, and warned that a “severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines, and tents for health workers.” Myanmar's ruling military said on state television that the confirmed death toll from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake increased to 1,644. The new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier. The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139 from Friday's quake. Russia has sent a medical team to Myanmar to care for earthquake victims, a Health Ministry official said. According to Alexey Kuznetsov, the medics include specialists in infectious diseases, resuscitation and traumatology. Separately, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said that two planes carrying Russian rescue workers have landed in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon. Earlier, the ministry reported that a mission, including search and rescue teams, canine units, anaesthesiologists and psychologists, was on its way to the disaster-stricken country. The ministry said that its rescue teams are equipped with “endoscopes and acoustic devices for searching for people in rubble up to 4.5 meters (nearly 15 feet) deep, as well as ground-penetrating radars and thermal imagers.” Hong Kong sent a group of 51 search-and-rescue personnel to help with earthquake relief efforts in Myanmar. The group includes firefighters and ambulance personnel as well as two search-and-rescue dogs, among others. The group brings along nine tons (18,000 pounds) of equipment including life detectors and masonry cutting machines, as well as an automatic satellite tracking antenna system that provides network connection, according to a statement on the Hong Kong government's website. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport. The photos taken Saturday show the tower toppled over as if sheered from its base. Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar. It wasn't immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake Friday. It likely also stopped air traffic into the international airport, given all electronics and radar would have been routed into the tower for controllers. Flights carrying rescue teams from China have landed at the airport in Yangon instead of going directly to the airports in the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw. A spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency said that Beijing will provide Myanmar with 100 million yuan ($13.8 million) in emergency humanitarian aid for earthquake relief efforts. An additional rescue team of 82 people left Bejing, hours after a different team of emergency responders from the Chinese province of Yunnan, bordering Myanmar, arrived in the earthquake-stricken country. Additionally, 16 members of the Chinese civil relief squad Blue Sky Rescue Team in the city of Ruili, Yunnan, departed to Muse City in northern Myanmar to help with relief efforts, according to state broadcaster CGTN. Chinese authorities also sent a first batch of 80 tents and 290 blankets. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping extended condolences to Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing. The earthquake was felt in parts of China's Yunnan province, though casualties were limited. Two people in Ruili suffered minor injuries and 847 homes were damaged, according to authorities. Some high-rise buildings and older houses in urban areas were also partially damaged, but power and water supplies and transportation and communications lines have been restored. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says that his government will support relief efforts “via the International Red Cross Movement.” “Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones, and to everyone else affected,” Peters posted on X. South Korea will send the aid through international organizations to support recovery efforts following the recent earthquake. The Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that Seoul will closely monitor the situation and consider additional support if needed. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Authorities say 39-year-old suffered an injury after jumping a fence when fleeing police and later died in the hospital A rapper signed to fellow lyricists Future and Waka Flocka Flame died on his 39th birthday in his home town of Atlanta after injuring his leg while running from police and jumping fences, according to authorities as well as multiple media reports. The death of 39-year-old Young Scooter, born Kenneth Edward Bailey, was confirmed by Atlanta's Fulton county medical examiner's office, as Variety first reported. In a statement on Friday, Atlanta police – without identifying Scooter – said that they responded to initial reports of shots being fired at a home on William Nye Drive SE and that a woman was being dragged back inside. “Once officers arrived they knocked on the door. A male opened the door and immediately shut the door on the officers,” Atlanta police lieutenant Andrew Smith said, adding that police subsequently cordoned off the area to search it for a suspect. “During the process of establishing the perimeter, two males fled out of the rear of the house,” Smith said. “One male returned back into the house. The other male jumped two fences as he was fleeing. When officers located him on the other side of the fence, he appeared to have suffered an injury to his leg.” He added: “Just to be very clear, the injury that was sustained was not via the officers on scene. It was when the male was fleeing.” According to the medical examiner's office, Bailey was taken to the Grady Marcus trauma center and died there from his injuries. His cause of death was not immediately determined, with an autopsy pending. Born in Waterboro, South Carolina, Young Scooter entered the hip-hop scene in Atlanta at a young age where he maintained a “consistent presence … during its commercial boom in the 2010s”, Variety wrote. Beside appearing on songs by other rappers including Future and Young Thug, Scooter worked with Juicy J, Kodak Black and Rick Ross. Speaking to Complex in 2013 about his creative process, Young Scooter said: “I don't really care what I say on a beat as long as it's about some money. “When you try to think hard and write it out, that's when it's gonna be fucked up.” Last March, he released one of his latest projects, Trap's Last Hope, featuring songs including Grind Dont Stop, Ice Game, Free Bands and Letter to God.
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Five people were wounded in a stabbing spree in Amsterdam on Thursday. The attacker was quickly apprehended, but what is known about his identity and motive?The key suspect was identified in local media as 30-year-old Ukrainian citizen Roman D.,' from the Russian-occupied Donetsk region. Little is yet known about his motive, although initial investigations suggest victims were chosen at random and he carried multiple knives to be used during the attack.The man was in possession of false identity papers and refused to share his identity with police, according to multiple reports. Roman D. was thwarted by a British tourist, who restrained him and ended the stabbing spree. He is currently being held in the hospital section of a prison in Scheveningen, according to De Telegraaf, which reported he sustained leg injuries.The tourist has elected to remain anonymous, although footage of his actions has spread quickly online.Dutch police officers detain a man after riots in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 11, 2024. (credit: Mizzle Media/Handout via REUTERS)Background on the attack“Apparently, some guy kicked him and broke his ankle. He got kicked down [by some bystanders] because he tried to run away... I think somebody kicked him in the face as well. It sounds like it was well deserved,” a witness told the Independent.Before carrying out the stabbing spree, Roman D. was staying at the Delta Hotel on the Damrak, which is only a few hundred meters from where the stabbings were carried out, sources told Het Parool. The key suspect was identified in local media as 30-year-old Ukrainian citizen Roman D.,' from the Russian-occupied Donetsk region. Little is yet known about his motive, although initial investigations suggest victims were chosen at random and he carried multiple knives to be used during the attack.The man was in possession of false identity papers and refused to share his identity with police, according to multiple reports. Roman D. was thwarted by a British tourist, who restrained him and ended the stabbing spree. He is currently being held in the hospital section of a prison in Scheveningen, according to De Telegraaf, which reported he sustained leg injuries.The tourist has elected to remain anonymous, although footage of his actions has spread quickly online.Dutch police officers detain a man after riots in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 11, 2024. (credit: Mizzle Media/Handout via REUTERS)Background on the attack“Apparently, some guy kicked him and broke his ankle. He got kicked down [by some bystanders] because he tried to run away... I think somebody kicked him in the face as well. It sounds like it was well deserved,” a witness told the Independent.Before carrying out the stabbing spree, Roman D. was staying at the Delta Hotel on the Damrak, which is only a few hundred meters from where the stabbings were carried out, sources told Het Parool. The man was in possession of false identity papers and refused to share his identity with police, according to multiple reports. Roman D. was thwarted by a British tourist, who restrained him and ended the stabbing spree. He is currently being held in the hospital section of a prison in Scheveningen, according to De Telegraaf, which reported he sustained leg injuries.The tourist has elected to remain anonymous, although footage of his actions has spread quickly online.Dutch police officers detain a man after riots in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 11, 2024. (credit: Mizzle Media/Handout via REUTERS)Background on the attack“Apparently, some guy kicked him and broke his ankle. He got kicked down [by some bystanders] because he tried to run away... I think somebody kicked him in the face as well. It sounds like it was well deserved,” a witness told the Independent.Before carrying out the stabbing spree, Roman D. was staying at the Delta Hotel on the Damrak, which is only a few hundred meters from where the stabbings were carried out, sources told Het Parool. Roman D. was thwarted by a British tourist, who restrained him and ended the stabbing spree. He is currently being held in the hospital section of a prison in Scheveningen, according to De Telegraaf, which reported he sustained leg injuries.The tourist has elected to remain anonymous, although footage of his actions has spread quickly online.Dutch police officers detain a man after riots in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 11, 2024. (credit: Mizzle Media/Handout via REUTERS)Background on the attack“Apparently, some guy kicked him and broke his ankle. He got kicked down [by some bystanders] because he tried to run away... I think somebody kicked him in the face as well. It sounds like it was well deserved,” a witness told the Independent.Before carrying out the stabbing spree, Roman D. was staying at the Delta Hotel on the Damrak, which is only a few hundred meters from where the stabbings were carried out, sources told Het Parool. The tourist has elected to remain anonymous, although footage of his actions has spread quickly online.Dutch police officers detain a man after riots in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 11, 2024. (credit: Mizzle Media/Handout via REUTERS)Background on the attack“Apparently, some guy kicked him and broke his ankle. He got kicked down [by some bystanders] because he tried to run away... I think somebody kicked him in the face as well. It sounds like it was well deserved,” a witness told the Independent.Before carrying out the stabbing spree, Roman D. was staying at the Delta Hotel on the Damrak, which is only a few hundred meters from where the stabbings were carried out, sources told Het Parool. “Apparently, some guy kicked him and broke his ankle. He got kicked down [by some bystanders] because he tried to run away... I think somebody kicked him in the face as well. It sounds like it was well deserved,” a witness told the Independent.Before carrying out the stabbing spree, Roman D. was staying at the Delta Hotel on the Damrak, which is only a few hundred meters from where the stabbings were carried out, sources told Het Parool. Before carrying out the stabbing spree, Roman D. was staying at the Delta Hotel on the Damrak, which is only a few hundred meters from where the stabbings were carried out, sources told Het Parool.
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Dozens of patients were seen in beds outside a damaged hospital in Naypyitaw on Saturday as the city struggled to cope with the destruction from a powerful earthquake that rocked the country, killing more than 1,000 people. Friday's devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar caused the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport to collapse. Satellite images taken by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by The Associated Press show the tower toppled over as if sheered from its base. The aid had been loaded onto the plane in Ghaziabad, with the External Affairs Ministry saying it was the “first tranche of 15 tonnes of relief material” included tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and medicines. Workers in Bangkok were scrambling to clear rubble and rescue any survivors from a powerful earthquake that hit Thailand and neighbouring Myanmar on Friday. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Auntin Charnvirakul said Saturday there was still hope to find survivors beneath tons of rubble at a Bangkok building site but that that hope would not extend beyond 72 hours. (AP video/Jerry Harmer, Sompong Saisomboon, produced by Annika Wolters) The deadly earthquake and aftershock that rattled the Thai capital shook water from swimming pools across the city. Thai workers toiled for a second day at the scene of a collapsed building in Bangkok on Saturday looking for survivors after Friday's earthquake. Family and friends of those still missing tried to keep their hopes up. (AP video shot by Jerry Harmer) A 33-story building under construction crumpled into a cloud of dust near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market after a powerful earthquake rocked the region on Friday. A 33-story building under construction crumpled into a cloud of dust near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market after a powerful earthquake rocked the region on Friday. In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, locals past by a collapsed building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar on Saturday, March 29, 2025 (Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua via AP) Myanmar rescuers search for survivors of Friday's earthquake beneath a damaged building in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Volunteers look for survivors near a damaged building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the Naypyitaw International Airport after an earthquake struck in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP) A damaged building is seen in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025, after an earthquake rocked Myanmar on Friday. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Damaged pagodas are seen after Friday's powerful earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) A woman injured by Friday's earthquake waits to receive treatment at the 1000-bed hospital in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Buddhist monks walk past a collapsed building after a powerful earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows a collapse air traffic control tower at the Naypyitaw International Airport after an earthquake struck in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP) A rescuer gives instruction at the site of an under-construction high-rise building that collapsed on Friday after an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Relatives of workers at a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake wait as rescuers search for victims, in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescue workers take an injured man who was trapped under a building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, Myanmar's military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, center, inspects victims caused by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, Myanmar's military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, center, inspects damaged road caused by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) Patients are evacuated outdoors at a hospital after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Tadchakorn Kitchaiphon) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Volunteers work at an earthquake affected area in Mandalay, central Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw) Volunteers work at the site of a building that collapsed after an earthquake in Mandalay, central Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw) Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, Myanmar's military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, center, inspects damaged road caused by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) Myanmar rescuers search for survivors of Friday's earthquake beneath a damaged building in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Vehicles make their way near a road damaged by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) People stand near a damaged construction site of a high-rise building in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025, as rescuers search for victims following its collapse after Friday's earthquake. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) A military member directs a heavy duty machine in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025, during the search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after Friday's earthquake. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) A collapsed building is seen in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025, after an earthquake rocked Myanmar on Friday. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Damaged pagodas are seen after Friday's powerful earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) A man peeks through an opening in a fence to watch rescue work at the site of an under-construction high-rise building that collapsed on Friday after an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Relatives wait under a shade near the damaged construction site of a high-rise building in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025, as rescuers search for victims following its collapse after Friday's earthquake. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Rescuers look at debris of a high-rise building that was under construction in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025, as they search for victims following its collapse after Friday' earthquake. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, which coordinates the popular struggle against the ruling military, announced Saturday a unilateral partial ceasefire Saturday night to facilitate earthquake relief efforts. An announcement said its armed wing, the People's Defense Force, will implement a two-week pause in offensive military operations starting Sunday in earthquake-affected areas. It said it would “collaborate with the U.N. and non-governmental organizations to ensure security, transportation, and the establishment of temporary rescue and medical camps,” in the areas it controls. “We call on all ethnic groups and citizens to actively cooperate with the NUG and revolutionary forces in providing comprehensive emergency rescue and relief assistance to the earthquake victims,” the statement said. The plan poses a sharp political challenge to the military, which has heavily restricted much needed aid efforts to the more than 3 million people displaced by war even before the earthquake. Sympathizers of the resistance have urged that relief efforts incorporate aid freely transported to areas under the control of the National Unity Government. There was no immediate comment by the military on the announcement, which was released shortly before midnight. Independent Myanmar media have reported that the military continued air attacks on resistance-held areas even in the wake of the earthquake. There is precedent for major disasters to play a part in helping to restore peace to areas torn by conflict, most notably in Indonesia's Aceh province after it was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. However, there is little precedent for this in Myanmar, where military government's have kept up repression even in the wake of destructive cyclones. Myanmar's ruling military said Saturday on state television that the confirmed death toll from the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rose to 1,644, as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country's second-largest city. Volunteers look for survivors near a damaged building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) The new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier, underlining the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday's quake. The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139. Rescue efforts were underway, especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay, the country's No. 2 city, and Naypyitaw, the capital. But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes. Myanmar ‘s civil war makes movement around the country both difficult and dangerous, complicating relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll could still rise precipitously. The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam. In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, Myanmar's military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, center, inspects victims caused by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) In Naypyidaw, crews worked Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone and internet services remained down for most of the city. The earthquake brought down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government civil servants, but that section of the city was blocked off by authorities on Saturday. In neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, home to around 17 million people, and other parts of the country. Bangkok city authorities said the number of confirmed dead was now 10, nine at the site of the collapsed high-rise under construction near the capital's popular Chatuchak market, while 78 people were still unaccounted for. Rescue efforrs were continuing in the hope of finding additional survivors. Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive. “I was praying that that they had survived but when I got here and saw the ruin — where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive? I am still praying that all six are alive,” said 45-year-old Naruemol Thonglek, sobbing as she awaited news about her partner, who is from Myanmar, and five friends who worked at the site. Thai authorities said the quake and aftershocks were felt in most of the country's provinces. Many places in the north reported damage to residential buildings, hospitals and temples, including in Chiang Mai, but the only casualties were reported in Bangkok Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar. The country sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate. Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey, said that the quake caused intense ground shaking in an area where most of the population lives in buildings constructed of timber and unreinforced brick masonry. “When you have a large earthquake in an area where there are over a million people, many of them living in vulnerable buildings, the consequences can often be disastrous,” he said in a statement. Myanmar's government said that blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said that Myanmar was ready to accept outside assistance. Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones. Military forces continued their attacks even after the quake, with three airstrikes in northern Kayin state, also called Karenni state, and southern Shan — both of which border Mandalay state, said Dave Eubank, a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s. Eubank told The Associated Press that in the area he was operating in, most villages have already been destroyed by the military so the earthquake had little impact. In northern Shan, an airstrike on a rebel-controlled village just minutes after the earthquake killed seven militia members and damaged five buildings, including a school, Mai Rukow, editor of a Shan-based online media Shwe Phee Myay News Agency, told the AP. Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous or simply impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport as if sheered from its base. Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar, the photos showed on Saturday. China and Russia are the largest suppliers of weapons to Myanmar's military, and were among the first to step in with humanitarian aid. China said it has sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits and generators, and pledged around $13.8 million in emergency aid. Hong Kong sent a 51-member team to Myanmar. Russia's Emergencies Ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies, and the country's Health Ministry said Moscow had sent a medical team to Myanmar. Other countries like India and South Korea are sending help, and the U.N. allocated $5 million to start relief efforts. U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance. Associated Press writers Jerry Harmer and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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A federal judge in Massachusetts on Friday temporarily barred the deportation of a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, who voiced support for Palestinians in Israel's war in Gaza and was detained by US immigration officials this week.Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, was taken into custody by US immigration authorities near her Massachusetts home on Tuesday, according to a video showing the arrest by masked federal agents. US officials revoked her visa. The US Department of Homeland Security has accused Ozturk, without providing evidence, of "engaging in activities in support of Hamas," a group that the US government categorizes as a "foreign terrorist organization."Oncu Keceli, a spokesperson for Turkey's foreign ministry, said efforts to secure Ozturk's release continued, adding consular and legal support was being provided by Turkish diplomatic missions in the US. Advertisement"Our Houston Consul General visited our citizen in the center where she is being held in Louisiana on March 28. Our citizens' requests and demands have been forwarded to local authorities and her lawyer," Keceli said in a post on X. A protester holds a flag as he sits on a traffic light post during a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2021 (credit: REUTERS/HENRY NICHOLLS)The student's arrestOzturk's arrest came a year after she co-authored an opinion piece in Tufts' student newspaper criticizing the university's response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide." A lawyer soon after sued to secure her release, and on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defense team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention violates her rights to free speech and due process.Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, was taken into custody by US immigration authorities near her Massachusetts home on Tuesday, according to a video showing the arrest by masked federal agents. US officials revoked her visa. The US Department of Homeland Security has accused Ozturk, without providing evidence, of "engaging in activities in support of Hamas," a group that the US government categorizes as a "foreign terrorist organization."Oncu Keceli, a spokesperson for Turkey's foreign ministry, said efforts to secure Ozturk's release continued, adding consular and legal support was being provided by Turkish diplomatic missions in the US. Advertisement"Our Houston Consul General visited our citizen in the center where she is being held in Louisiana on March 28. Our citizens' requests and demands have been forwarded to local authorities and her lawyer," Keceli said in a post on X. A protester holds a flag as he sits on a traffic light post during a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2021 (credit: REUTERS/HENRY NICHOLLS)The student's arrestOzturk's arrest came a year after she co-authored an opinion piece in Tufts' student newspaper criticizing the university's response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide." A lawyer soon after sued to secure her release, and on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defense team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention violates her rights to free speech and due process.Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. The US Department of Homeland Security has accused Ozturk, without providing evidence, of "engaging in activities in support of Hamas," a group that the US government categorizes as a "foreign terrorist organization."Oncu Keceli, a spokesperson for Turkey's foreign ministry, said efforts to secure Ozturk's release continued, adding consular and legal support was being provided by Turkish diplomatic missions in the US. Advertisement"Our Houston Consul General visited our citizen in the center where she is being held in Louisiana on March 28. Our citizens' requests and demands have been forwarded to local authorities and her lawyer," Keceli said in a post on X. A protester holds a flag as he sits on a traffic light post during a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2021 (credit: REUTERS/HENRY NICHOLLS)The student's arrestOzturk's arrest came a year after she co-authored an opinion piece in Tufts' student newspaper criticizing the university's response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide." A lawyer soon after sued to secure her release, and on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defense team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention violates her rights to free speech and due process.Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Oncu Keceli, a spokesperson for Turkey's foreign ministry, said efforts to secure Ozturk's release continued, adding consular and legal support was being provided by Turkish diplomatic missions in the US. Advertisement"Our Houston Consul General visited our citizen in the center where she is being held in Louisiana on March 28. Our citizens' requests and demands have been forwarded to local authorities and her lawyer," Keceli said in a post on X. A protester holds a flag as he sits on a traffic light post during a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2021 (credit: REUTERS/HENRY NICHOLLS)The student's arrestOzturk's arrest came a year after she co-authored an opinion piece in Tufts' student newspaper criticizing the university's response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide." A lawyer soon after sued to secure her release, and on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defense team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention violates her rights to free speech and due process.Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. "Our Houston Consul General visited our citizen in the center where she is being held in Louisiana on March 28. Our citizens' requests and demands have been forwarded to local authorities and her lawyer," Keceli said in a post on X. A protester holds a flag as he sits on a traffic light post during a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2021 (credit: REUTERS/HENRY NICHOLLS)The student's arrestOzturk's arrest came a year after she co-authored an opinion piece in Tufts' student newspaper criticizing the university's response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide." A lawyer soon after sued to secure her release, and on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defense team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention violates her rights to free speech and due process.Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Ozturk's arrest came a year after she co-authored an opinion piece in Tufts' student newspaper criticizing the university's response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to "acknowledge the Palestinian genocide." A lawyer soon after sued to secure her release, and on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defense team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention violates her rights to free speech and due process.Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. A lawyer soon after sued to secure her release, and on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defense team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention violates her rights to free speech and due process.Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Despite a Tuesday night order requiring the PhD student and Fulbright Scholar not to be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice, she is now in Louisiana. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said that to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case, she was barring Ozturk's deportation temporarily. AdvertisementShe ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. She ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Mahsa Khanbabai, a lawyer for Ozturk, called the decision "a first step in getting Rumeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies."The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. The DHS had no immediate comment. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestinian protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic, and posing foreign policy hurdles.Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration conflates their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas.Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas. Several students and protesters have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, which says it may have revoked over 300 visas.
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Washington has requested that French companies working for the US government end all their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in order to comply with the policies of President Donald Trump, media outlets Le Figaro and Les Echos have reported. An executive order “concerning the end of unlawful discrimination and restoring merit-based employment opportunities” signed by Trump is mandatory for “all suppliers and contractors” of the US government, regardless of their country of origin, the US embassy told French companies in a letter obtained by Le Figaro. The US President had previously launched a campaign to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in all federal agencies. The fight against “woke policies,” such as the promotion of so-called gender reassignment treatment among minors, was a key part of Trump's campaign. He signed multiple executive orders rolling back DEI initiatives after taking office. In an order dated January 21, a day after his inauguration, the US president called DEI “an illegal, corrosive, and pernicious system” that goes against “our long-standing federal civil rights laws.” According to the French media, each letter was accompanied by a “form of compliance” the contractors had to fill and send back within five days. The document required them to explicitly state they were “in compliance with all applicable federal anti-discrimination laws” of the US and to vow not to offer any DEI programs, Le Figaro said. Otherwise, the companies were reportedly encouraged to provide the embassy with “detailed reasons” for not filling the form. According to Le Figaro, it is unclear how many companies received the letter. The embassy itself has not confirmed sending it. Instead, the US diplomats said that “measures were taken by the administration put an end to decades of waste, fraud, and abuse,” adding that the diplomatic mission reviewed a total of 15,600 contracts, loans and foreign aid programs. The move reportedly sparked an uproar within the government of France. “This practice reflects the values of the new American government. They are not ours,” a senior French Economy and Finance Ministry official told Le Figaro, adding that Minister Eric Lombard would “remind his counterparts within the American government of this.” RT News App © Autonomous Nonprofit Organization “TV-Novosti”, 2005–2025. All rights reserved. This website uses cookies. Read RT Privacy policy to find out more.
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Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: A massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, accompanied by multiple aftershocks, causing widespread destruction and 1,644 deaths. The earthquake left wide cracks on roads, brought down buildings, and sent tremors across neighboring countries, including China, Thailand, Vietnam and parts of India also. While there were no reports of damages or injuries in India, the Myanmar earthquake led to at least six deaths in Thailand, where a skyscraper collapsed in Bangkok's Chatuchak market. Thailand lowered its death toll from 10....Read More Myanmar's ruling junta chief confirmed on Saturday that the death toll rose from 144 to 1,000, with hundreds of others being injured. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue. Myanmar earthquake | key points: – The epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake was located near Mandalay, at a depth of 10 kilometers, striking at 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT), according to the USGS. A strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock occurred soon after, followed by a dozen more tremblers. – Tremors jolted northern Thailand, even reaching Bangkok, where residents rushed to the streets as buildings swayed. A building collapse in Bangkok's Chatuchak, and public transit services were temporarily halted in parts of the city. At least six people have died in Thailand due to the earthquake. – In Vietnam, jolts from the earthquake were also reported. China's southwest Yunnan province also experienced tremors, with Beijing's quake agency reporting the event as a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. – Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes, with a history of strong tremors between 1930 and 1956, particularly along the Sagaing Fault, which runs through the country's center. – Mild tremors were felt in India's West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities reported no significant damage or casualties in these areas from the Myanmar earthquake. Myanmar earthquake | key points: – The epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake was located near Mandalay, at a depth of 10 kilometers, striking at 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT), according to the USGS. A strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock occurred soon after, followed by a dozen more tremblers. – Tremors jolted northern Thailand, even reaching Bangkok, where residents rushed to the streets as buildings swayed. A building collapse in Bangkok's Chatuchak, and public transit services were temporarily halted in parts of the city. At least six people have died in Thailand due to the earthquake. – In Vietnam, jolts from the earthquake were also reported. China's southwest Yunnan province also experienced tremors, with Beijing's quake agency reporting the event as a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. – Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes, with a history of strong tremors between 1930 and 1956, particularly along the Sagaing Fault, which runs through the country's center. – Mild tremors were felt in India's West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities reported no significant damage or casualties in these areas from the Myanmar earthquake. – The epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake was located near Mandalay, at a depth of 10 kilometers, striking at 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT), according to the USGS. A strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock occurred soon after, followed by a dozen more tremblers. – Tremors jolted northern Thailand, even reaching Bangkok, where residents rushed to the streets as buildings swayed. A building collapse in Bangkok's Chatuchak, and public transit services were temporarily halted in parts of the city. At least six people have died in Thailand due to the earthquake. – In Vietnam, jolts from the earthquake were also reported. China's southwest Yunnan province also experienced tremors, with Beijing's quake agency reporting the event as a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. – Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes, with a history of strong tremors between 1930 and 1956, particularly along the Sagaing Fault, which runs through the country's center. – Mild tremors were felt in India's West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities reported no significant damage or casualties in these areas from the Myanmar earthquake. – Tremors jolted northern Thailand, even reaching Bangkok, where residents rushed to the streets as buildings swayed. A building collapse in Bangkok's Chatuchak, and public transit services were temporarily halted in parts of the city. At least six people have died in Thailand due to the earthquake. – In Vietnam, jolts from the earthquake were also reported. China's southwest Yunnan province also experienced tremors, with Beijing's quake agency reporting the event as a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. – Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes, with a history of strong tremors between 1930 and 1956, particularly along the Sagaing Fault, which runs through the country's center. – Mild tremors were felt in India's West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities reported no significant damage or casualties in these areas from the Myanmar earthquake. – In Vietnam, jolts from the earthquake were also reported. China's southwest Yunnan province also experienced tremors, with Beijing's quake agency reporting the event as a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. – Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes, with a history of strong tremors between 1930 and 1956, particularly along the Sagaing Fault, which runs through the country's center. – Mild tremors were felt in India's West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities reported no significant damage or casualties in these areas from the Myanmar earthquake. – Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes, with a history of strong tremors between 1930 and 1956, particularly along the Sagaing Fault, which runs through the country's center. – Mild tremors were felt in India's West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities reported no significant damage or casualties in these areas from the Myanmar earthquake. – Mild tremors were felt in India's West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities reported no significant damage or casualties in these areas from the Myanmar earthquake. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Myanmar's main resistance movement has announced a partial ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief efforts. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Thai teams are using robotic mules to assist in rescue efforts after an under-construction building collapsed after an earthquake of 7.7 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Sagaing, Myanmar on March 28, reported ANI. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Intensifying its efforts for aiding relief and rescue work in Myanmar, India on Saturday despatched two naval ships to the neighbouring country while an 118-member army field hospital is being deployed to provide immediate medical medical assistance to the injured, reports PTI. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Humanitarian operations in Myanmar have been hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says, according to Reuters. "Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations", the UN agency said in a statement. A Thai woman gave birth to a baby girl on a rolling bed in a hospital as it was being evacuated, Reuters reported. Kanthong Saenmuangshin, 36, had gone to hospital for a routine check-up but went into labour after the ground started shaking. Kanthong's waters broke while she was being escorted by medical staff of the Police General Hospital down five flights of stairs, and she was worried she would give birth on the stairway. According to an AFP report, some residents in earthquake-hit Myanmar's second largest city Mandalay sheltered under the shade of nearby trees, where they had spent the night, a few possessions they had managed to salvage -- blankets, motorbike helmets -- alongside them. Elsewhere, rescuers in flip-flops and minimal protective equipment picked by hand over the remains of buildings, shouting into the rubble in the hope of hearing the answering cry of a survivor. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar. The country sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate, reports AP. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Rescue efforts are underway in the major stricken cities of Myanmar's Mandalay and Naypyitaw. But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes, reports AP. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has expressed his sadness at the loss of lives in the Myanmar earthquake. "I offer my condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones and pray for all those in Myanmar and neighbouring countries such as Thailand who have been affected by this tragedy," he said in a statement, according to PTI. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: The death toll due to earthquake in Myanmar has reached 1,644, AFP reports, citiing the ruling junta. At least 139 people are still missing. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Rescuers pulled a woman alive from the wreckage of a collapsed apartment building in Mandalay, 30 hours after a devastating quake hit Myanmar, reports AFP. Phyu Lay Khaing, 30, was brought out of the Sky Villa Condominium by rescuers and carried away by stretcher. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: The control tower at Myanmar's Naypyitaw International Airport collapsed in the earthquake, satellite photos analysed by the Associated Press show. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says that soon after the tragedy struck Myanmar, our PM conveyed his concerns and expressed that India was ready to provide all possible support to the people and government of Myanmar. ‘Today, PM spoke to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and conveyed deepest condolences on behalf of people and government of India for the loss of precious lives and that we would do our best to provide relief, rescues and whatever assistance required to deal with this calamity,' Jaiswal adds. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Myanmar's junta chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, travelled to hard-hit Mandalay near the epicentre of the quake, which brought down buildings and triggered fires in some areas, reports Reuters. "The Chairman of the State Administration Council instructed authorities to expedite search and rescue efforts and address any urgent needs," the junta said in a statement on state media. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: French tourist Augustin Gus told AFP that he was shopping in one of Bangkok's many malls when the massive earthquake began shaking buildings in the Thai capital. "Just when I left the elevator, the earth starts moving. I thought it was me... it was not me," the 23-year-old told AFP. "Everyone was screaming and running, so I started screaming as well." Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Myanmar's military-led government has said in a statement that 1,002 people have been found dead and another 2,376 injured, with 30 others missing. The statement, however, suggested the numbers could still rise, saying “detailed figures are still being collected”, according to AP. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: EAM S Jaishankar says that an 80-member ‘strong' NDRF search and rescue team has departed for Myanmar's Nay Pyi Taw. ‘They will assist the rescue operations in Myanmar,' he says. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Russia's emergencies ministry has said that it has sent 120 rescue workers to help search for victims trapped in the rubble and assist with clean-up in Myanmar, AP reported, citing a statement from the ministry. The ministry added that two aircraft were on their way from Moscow to the earthquake-stricken country, with anaesthesiologists, psychologists and canine units on board. Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he spoke to Myanmar military leader over the earthquake and informed that relief aid is being expeditiously dispatched to the affected areas. “Spoke with Senior General H.E. Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar. Conveyed our deep condolences at the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake. As a close friend and neighbour, India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this difficult hour. Disaster relief material, humanitarian assistance, search & rescue teams are being expeditiously dispatched to the affected areas as part of #OperationBrahma,” PM Modi said in a post on X. China has vowed to provide Myanmar 100 million Yuan worth of aid after the devastating earthquake, the Chinese embassy in Myanmar said on Saturday. The embassy said that the first batch of Chinese aid will arrive in Myanmar on March 31 - embassy Myanmar, Thailand Earthquake News LIVE: South Korea said it will send $2 million worth of aid through international organisations to support recovery efforts following the recent earthquake. The Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that Seoul will closely monitor the situation and consider additional support if needed. (via AP) Earthquake news LIVE: An additional rescue team of 82 people departed from Beijing, just hours after another team of emergency responders from Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar, arrived in the quake-hit region. In addition, 16 members of the Chinese civil relief group Blue Sky Rescue Team, based in Ruili, Yunnan, have headed to Muse City in northern Myanmar to assist with relief efforts. According to state broadcaster CGTN, Chinese authorities also dispatched the first batch of 80 tents and 290 blankets early Saturday to support the victims. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Operations at six airports of Thailand, including those in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Chiang Rai and Phuket, have returned to normal and have undergone safety inspections following Friday's earthquake that hit the Thai capital, Airports of Thailand said. In a statement on Saturday, it confirmed the structural integrity of buildings at those airports and found aviation infrastructure met safety standards. (via Reuters) Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Two more Indian Air Force aircraft were being loaded with relief material for Myanmar on Saturday, news agency ANI reported, adding that the planes will depart from air force station of UP's Hindon soon. Earlier today, approximately 15 tonnes of relief material was sent to Myanmar on an IAF C-130 J aircraft from AFS Hindon. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar's military-led government said in a statement on Saturday that 1,002 people have now been found dead and another 2,376 injured, with 30 others missing. The statement suggested the numbers could still rise, saying “detailed figures are still being collected.” The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks including one measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, cracked roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas, according to a news agency PTI report. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was ready to accept assistance. The death toll from the powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks in Myanmar has jumped to over 1,000 as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: India has launched 'Operation Brahma' to support earthquake-impacted Myanmar. Indian Air Force C-130 J aircraft carrying approximately 15 tonnes of relief material, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, landed in Yangon on Saturday. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, "Operation Brahma - India acts as a First Responder to assist the people of Myanmar affected by yesterday's massive earthquake. Our first tranche of 15 tonnes of relief material, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, has landed in Yangon. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: South Korea will provide an initial humanitarian aid of $2 million to Myanmar through international organisations to help the country tackle the destruction caused by the massive earthquake that struck on Friday, Seoul's foreign ministry was cited as saying by Reuters. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Chinese president Xi Jinping on Saturday extended condolences over the devastation caused by the earthquake in Myanmar to its ruling junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. According to state broadcaster CCTV, Xi "expressed deep sorrow" over the damage and said that China is "willing to provide Myanmar the needed assistance to support people in the affected areas". Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar earthquake toll has topped 1,000, reported news agency AFP, citing Junta. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: An Indian currently living in the closer vicinity of the building that collapsed, Vinay Kumar Yadav, said, “We could hear the scream of the people, and there was chaos everywhere... This place used to be crowded on these two days, but today, no one is around. Labourers who were working are trapped in the debris...Many of the buildings are damaged, a few of them are being vacated as cracks have opened up...” (via ANI) Myanmar earthquake LIVE: China President Xi Jinping extended condolences to Myanmar's leader after Friday's earthquake that has killed nearly 700 people, Chinese state media Xinhua and CCTV reported on Saturday. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The first tranche of 15 tonnes of relief material from India, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, has landed in Yangon Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar's military leader on Friday appealed for international aid to cater to the aftermath of the powerful earthquake that has killed at least 694 people, a toll the country expects will go up as rescue efforts continue. The earthquake and multiple aftershock, also affected neighboring Thailand, China, and Vietnam. In Thailand, authorities said at least six people were killed and more than 100 missing after a building under construction collapsed. “In some areas, buildings collapsed so rescue efforts are still under way,” Bloomberg quoted junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as saying in a video speech on state broadcaster MRTV. “As we carry out extensive rescue and relief efforts, I would like to request help,” he added. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: A construction worker on Saturday recalled the horror he witnessed the day before as a Bangkok skyscraper collapsed "in the blink of an eye" after a massive earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand. The 30-storey building crumbled to a rubble in just a few seconds. A construction worker told AFP how the building, which was being built to house government offices, collapsed right after his brother entered his shift. "When my shift ended around 1:00 pm I went outside to get water and I saw my younger brother before I went out. When I went outside, I saw dust everywhere and I just ran to escape from the collapsing building," Khin Aung told AFP. "I can't describe how I feel -- it happened in the blink of an eye," he added. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The country's ruling junta said on Saturday that the death toll from the massive earthquake in Myanmar rose to 694, with 1,670 others being injured, an AFP report said. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The scale of devastation left behind by the massive earthquake that struck Myanmar on Wednesday has prompted a rare plea from the country's military regime for international assistance. Myanmar's junta chief invited "any country, any organization" to help with relief and that he "opened all ways for foreign aid". Assistance offers poured in, with neighbour India being among the first to say that it was ready to help. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Authorities in Thailand's Bangkok city revised the number of people killed in Friday's earthquake down to six, along with 22 people injured and 101 missing. The previous death toll late Friday was 10. Authorities, cited in an Associated Press report, said they lowered the toll because first responders had mistaken some critical cases at the scene as being dead, but when they reached the hospital they could be resuscitated. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: China, Russia and India have dispatched rescuers to Myanmar, to help deal with the powerful earthquake that caused widespread damage. A 37-member team from China's Yunnan province reached the city of Yangon early Saturday, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The team carried emergency relief supplies such as life detectors, earthquake early warning systems and drones, Xinhua said, and the team is expected to provide assistance in disaster relief and medical treatment efforts. Russia's emergencies ministry reportedly sent two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from Russia state news agency Tass. “Based on orders from the Russian president and emergencies minister, a group of Russian rescuers has departed to Myanmar on two planes from Zhukovsky Airport outside Moscow to help address the aftermath of a powerful earthquake,” Tass reported that a ministry spokesperson said. (via AP) Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar, located along the active Sagaing Fault, is no stranger to powerful quakes. Between 1930 and 1956, the country experienced multiple strong tremors. Here's a quick breakdown of the seismic history and the fault line that caused today's devastation. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Visuals shared by Shanghai Daily showed before-and-after comparison of Mahamuni Buddha Temple in Mandalay in Myanmar, following the earthquake. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Around 15 tonnes of relief material is being sent to Myanmar on an Indian Air Force (IAF) C 130 J aircraft from Hindon air force station. The relief material includes tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, hygiene kits, solar lamps, generator sets, essential Medicines (Paracetamol, antibiotics, canula, syringes, gloves, cotton bandages, urine bags, etc), according to sources cited by news agency ANI. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: As per to US Geological Survey (USGS) data, a total 15 earthquakes were recorded in Myanmar within 10 hours on Friday, starting with the massive 7,7 magnitude trembler that struck the country at 06:20:54 (UTC). The most powerful aftershock was measured at Magnitude 6.7, occurring at 06:32:04 (UTC), according to USGS. Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The strong earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday has resulted in at least 144 deaths and over 732 injuries, with the toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue. In neighboring Thailand, a high-rise under construction collapsed in Bangkok, leaving at least 10 dead. Click here for 10 points on Myanmar earthquake
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Across the country men and women have cared for the resting places of their enemy's fallen, finding peace and hope For some, tending the graves was an act of reconciliation. For others, it was about acknowledging shared losses and shared grief. Thousands of Germans who died in Britain during the first and second world wars were laid to rest in local graveyards. British people tended these graves for decades, even laying flowers and wreaths for their former foes. A historian has uncovered new details of this extraordinary relationship, and found that more than 7,000 German soldiers and prisoners of war were once buried in cemeteries near the British towns and villages where they died. Tim Grady, professor of modern history at the University of Chester, unearthed a previously overlooked pile of documents “wrapped in brown paper” in the German War Graves Commission (VDK) archives, which turned out to be interwar records about the graves from the German embassy in London that no scholar had ever consulted. After the wars, Grady said, there were so many dead soldiers scattered across the globe that people felt that tending to the war graves in their local area was a “tangible” way of overcoming the “horrors of war”. “If you can do something for the war dead who are close to you, perhaps other people will do the same for your loved ones, wherever they are buried,” he said. The policy of the Imperial War Graves Commission was to leave the bodies of British soldiers in the country where they had died, too, meaning thousands were buried in military cemeteries abroad rather than repatriated. Grady discovered that one British couple who lost their son in the first world war tended the grave of a German fighter whose plane came down near their home. “They've got this shared experience of loss that they feel is bonding them together with the other bereaved family,” he said. Most of the time, however, it wasn't a straightforward reciprocal arrangement, he said. “It was based on a kind of common humanity, coming out of the wars, where I think people wanted to try to build a better future and they saw caring for the enemy dead was a way to do this.” In Bishop's Stortford, Herts, one family made it “almost their life's mission” to look after the graves of 15 German war dead buried there. “They spent all their money tending these graves – they say they do it to comfort the mothers back in Germany, and as a basis for reconciliation.” There are even examples of people laying wreaths on German graves on Remembrance Day “because they want to unite them” with British graves, Grady said. Others left flowers or took photos of the graves for bereaved family members back in Germany, inviting them to visit. Some people also responded to letters German families wrote to local councils in the UK, asking for information after learning a loved one had died nearby. “And so you start to get genuine human contact between the two sides – and that breaks down barriers between the British and the Germans after both wars. That's the initial basis for some form of reconciliation between the two populations that were enemies.” Between 1962 and 1963 the German government systematically exhumed almost all the bodies of their war dead from graves across the UK and reburied them in a single military cemetery on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. But its efforts were met with unexpected resistance from British people who had, in some cases, been tending the graves for almost 50 years. “In one cemetery in Yorkshire, a local councillor saw the German team coming to exhume a couple of these German graves and he threatened to call the police,” said Grady, whose book, Burying the Enemy: The Story of Those Who Cared for the Dead in Two World Wars, was published last week. “He said: ‘You can't take them. These are our Germans. We've been looking after them.' And he tried to stop them. But the exhumation team had papers from the Home Office that say they're allowed to do this. They can't be stopped.” The graves of the German war dead in Britain played a crucial role in restoring relations between the countries after the world wars, Grady said. One RAF commander filled 12 wooden urns with soil from German graves near his base in Sussex, and sent the urns to the bereaved German families of those who were buried there. “One of them was an unknown pilot, so they couldn't trace his family. The VDK has still got that urn sitting in its archive.” In Poole, Dorset, a British man who lived opposite a cemetery bumped into the widow of a Nazi bomber who had been shot down and buried there. “She was visiting her husband's grave after the war.” After meeting at the graveside, they stayed in contact, exchanging Christmas cards and letters. “He tends the grave, laying flowers there and writing to her about how the grave is. He even ends up going over to Germany on holiday, and stays with her and her new husband.” In Montrose, Scotland, “lots of local people” welcomed the mother of a Nazi killed nearby in a plane crash, when she visited her son's grave in the early 1950s. “Somebody wanted to drive her to the cemetery, somebody wanted to find her a hotel, someone else wanted to take her out for dinner. All to show her: we're no longer enemies, we understand your loss, let's work together.” Such connections were important for Anglo-German relations, Grady said, as they involved ordinary people and their communities. “Because the enemy bodies were buried locally, it forced people locally to recognise that the other side also experienced loss.”
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Defense secretary, already under fire for chat group blunder, faces new scrutiny for having wife in high-level meetings The wife of the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, attended two meetings with foreign defense officials during which sensitive information was discussed, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. The Journal's report on Hegseth arrived late on Friday as he faced scrutiny for detailing plans of a military strike in a group chat on Signal, made public by a journalist at the Atlantic who was added to the chat. Multiple Democrats have called for his resignation while a bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to the defense department calling for an inquiry into the group chat. Hegseth's wife, Jennifer Hegseth, has been present at two meetings where sensitive information was discussed, according to the Journal, citing multiple people who were present at the meetings or have knowledge of her presence at them. The first meeting reportedly was a high-level discussion at the Pentagon with top UK military officials, including the UK secretary of defense, John Healey, that took place in early March, a day after the US announced it would stop sharing military intelligence with Ukraine. The second reportedly took place in Brussels in mid-February at Nato headquarters during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a forum of about 50 nations meant to help coordinate military support for Ukraine as it tries to fight off the invasion Russia launched in 2022. A defense secretary has the discretion to invite anyone to meetings with foreign counterparts, but officials cited by the Journal said that those attending these types of meetings usually have high-level security clearances. While the spouses of defense officials sometimes receive low-level security clearances, it is unclear whether Hegseth's wife has any clearance. Hegseth's wife is a former producer of the network television show Fox & Friends, where Hegseth was a co-host starting in 2017. The couple married in 2019. Hegseth also brought his brother Philip Hegseth a podcast producer, on official visits, according to the Journal. Philip Hegseth accompanied his brother to Guantánamo Bay and is currently with him during Hegseth's tour of Asia. The defense department did not immediately respond to a Guardian request for comment. In a statement to the Journal, department spokesperson Sean Parnell said that it is “pretty clear to me that [the Journal's] story is going to be filled with inaccuracies and will not be written in good faith”. Chuck Hagel, an former Republican secretary of defense who served under former president Barack Obama, told the Journal that national security officials have to be careful about whom they invite to meetings with foreign counterparts. “If you are going to discuss top secret, national security issues, you have to be very selective,” Hagel said. “What's the relevancy of the person you are inviting?” Though the Pentagon has largely pinned the blame for the Signal group chat leak on the national security adviser, Mike Waltz, Hegseth's ability to handle the sensitive nature of his job as the top military official in the country has also been called into question. On Thursday, a federal judge ordered officials, including Hegseth, to preserve all messages in the Signal group chat. Republicans have largely defended Hegseth and have brushed off the group chat fiasco in public. But reports suggest that there are some who are privately concerned about Hegseth's conduct. “You're not going to hear a huge public outcry,” an anonymous GOP official told Politico. “But privately, there is a lot of concern about his judgment.”
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Skygazers across countries in the Northern Hemisphere gathered to catch a glimpse of the partial solar eclipse on Saturday. According to a PA Media report, the eclipse peaked in London at around 11am (local time) and was visible in parts of the country from between around 10am and noon. Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, told PA Media,“There's a really nice crowd of people, everybody's really excited, there's people wearing eclipse glasses, looking through the telescopes we've got set up. We're loving it and it's a lot of fun. It's a great public atmosphere, it's a really nice event." Solar Eclipse 2025 LIVE updates Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “The further north west you are in the UK the more of an eclipse you are likely to have, whereas towards the south east it's a little bit less – but still 30%, and still a large chunk taken out of the Sun.” “There's a huge amount of enthusiasm about it. As expected, the Moon started moving in front of the Sun about an hour ago; it's got a bit under an hour to go and it's blocking out some of the Sun,” he added. ALSO READ: Surya Grahan 2025: Search this on Google to see eclipse special effect Astronomer Imo Bell, at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said,“There's been nothing unexpected, but that's the cool thing, we've known this has been coming for a very long time. We have the technology and the understanding of space now to predict these things almost to the second. The solar eclipse was also visible in Spain, Russia, Italy, Portugal and other countries of Northern Hemisphere. ALSO READ: Surya Grahan: Is Solar Eclipse 2025 visible in India? An X user in United States' Maine shared pictures of partial solar eclipse. Eclipses occur when the Sun, Moon and Earth all line up. When they perfectly align for a total solar eclipse, the Moon fully blots out the Sun's disc, creating an eerie twilight here on Earth. But that will not happen during Saturday's partial eclipse, which will instead turn the Sun into a crescent. "The alignment is not perfect enough for the cone of shadow to touch the Earth's surface," Paris Observatory astronomer Florent Deleflie told AFP. A greater spectacle is expected on August 12, 2026, when a total solar eclipse will be visible in Iceland, northern Spain and parts of Portugal.
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Chloe Kim won her third snowboard halfpipe world championship Saturday in St Moritz, Switzerland, and secured a spot on the 2026 US Olympic team. Kim, 24, landed a switch double cork 1080 and back-to-back 900s in her first run to earn a score of 93.50, enough to clinch the title with one run remaining. Japan's Sara Shimizu took silver with 90.75, while Mitsuki Ono earned bronze with 88.50. “I think I'm back,” Kim said. “I really started to find the joy for the sport again, and that's been a really positive change for me.” The victory guarantees Kim's place at the Milano Cortina Olympics next February, where she will attempt to become the first snowboarder to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in halfpipe. Kim's win caps a comeback season after a two-year break from competition. She stepped away following her second Olympic gold at the 2022 Beijing Games, citing mental health struggles and burnout. After returning to competition in January, she won the X Games in Aspen – tying Shaun White for most women's SuperPipe titles – and became the first woman to land both frontside and cab double cork 1080s in competition. Saturday's final was delayed more than two hours due to poor weather. Kim acknowledged the conditions took a toll on the riders. “Today was definitely a big mental battle, I think for all the ladies,” she said. “I definitely had a couple mental breakdowns during practice, so I'm just really happy I was able to land something.” Her second run served as a victory lap, during which she attempted a cab 1260 – another trick no woman has landed in competition – but fell on the landing. “My favorite part about a victory lap is trying to progress the sport and try to do the craziest run I've ever done,” Kim said. “I was hoping to put that down here, but next time.” Kim first won the world championship in 2019 and repeated in 2021. She did not compete at the 2023 edition. The win also solidified her status atop the World Snowboard Points List, the key criteria for early Olympic qualification. According to US Ski and Snowboard, the top-ranked American woman in the world standings after this event secures an automatic Olympic berth, provided she remains in the top three overall – a threshold Kim has met. Kim won her first X Games gold at age 14 and a first Olympic gold at 17 in Pyeongchang. She remains one of the most dominant and decorated athletes in the sport. “Chloe's ability to push the progression of women's halfpipe riding while staying consistent at the top is remarkable,” said US Snowboard head coach Danny Kass. “She's not just winning – she's reinventing what's possible.” Kim has credited her renewed success to changes she made off the snow. She began intensive therapy last summer, a move she says helped her regain her confidence and perspective. “There was a time I couldn't imagine competing again,” Kim said earlier this season. “Now, I'm having fun again. I've let go of what I think I'm supposed to do and just focus on what I love about snowboarding.” The remainder of the US women's Olympic halfpipe team will be named in early 2026.
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Foreign rescue teams began flying into Myanmar on Saturday to aid the search for survivors from an earthquake that killed more than 1,644 people in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation crippling critical infrastructure amid a grinding civil war.This was the deadliest natural disaster to hit the impoverished country. The death toll in Myanmar was 1,644, the military government said on Saturday, up sharply from initial state media reports of 144 dead on Friday. At least nine people were killed in neighboring Thailand, where the 7.7 magnitude quake rattled buildings and brought down a skyscraper under construction in the capital Bangkok, trapping 30 people under debris, with 49 missing.The US Geological Service's predictive modeling estimated the death toll could exceed 10,000 in Myanmar and that losses could exceed the country's annual economic output. AdvertisementThe quake damaged roads, bridges, and buildings in Myanmar, according to the junta, whose top general made a rare call for international assistance on Friday.A strong earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighboring Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay https://t.co/FvDLAXLq8S pic.twitter.com/6m3NkabvoZ— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2025 'Don't think there's any hope'"Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," the junta said in a statement on state media on Saturday.A Chinese rescue team arrived in Myanmar's commercial capital of Yangon, hundreds of kilometers from the hard-hit cities on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, the country's purpose-built capital, where parts of a 1,000-bed hospital were damaged. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." This was the deadliest natural disaster to hit the impoverished country. The death toll in Myanmar was 1,644, the military government said on Saturday, up sharply from initial state media reports of 144 dead on Friday. At least nine people were killed in neighboring Thailand, where the 7.7 magnitude quake rattled buildings and brought down a skyscraper under construction in the capital Bangkok, trapping 30 people under debris, with 49 missing.The US Geological Service's predictive modeling estimated the death toll could exceed 10,000 in Myanmar and that losses could exceed the country's annual economic output. AdvertisementThe quake damaged roads, bridges, and buildings in Myanmar, according to the junta, whose top general made a rare call for international assistance on Friday.A strong earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighboring Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay https://t.co/FvDLAXLq8S pic.twitter.com/6m3NkabvoZ— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2025 'Don't think there's any hope'"Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," the junta said in a statement on state media on Saturday.A Chinese rescue team arrived in Myanmar's commercial capital of Yangon, hundreds of kilometers from the hard-hit cities on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, the country's purpose-built capital, where parts of a 1,000-bed hospital were damaged. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." At least nine people were killed in neighboring Thailand, where the 7.7 magnitude quake rattled buildings and brought down a skyscraper under construction in the capital Bangkok, trapping 30 people under debris, with 49 missing.The US Geological Service's predictive modeling estimated the death toll could exceed 10,000 in Myanmar and that losses could exceed the country's annual economic output. AdvertisementThe quake damaged roads, bridges, and buildings in Myanmar, according to the junta, whose top general made a rare call for international assistance on Friday.A strong earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighboring Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay https://t.co/FvDLAXLq8S pic.twitter.com/6m3NkabvoZ— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2025 'Don't think there's any hope'"Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," the junta said in a statement on state media on Saturday.A Chinese rescue team arrived in Myanmar's commercial capital of Yangon, hundreds of kilometers from the hard-hit cities on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, the country's purpose-built capital, where parts of a 1,000-bed hospital were damaged. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." The US Geological Service's predictive modeling estimated the death toll could exceed 10,000 in Myanmar and that losses could exceed the country's annual economic output. AdvertisementThe quake damaged roads, bridges, and buildings in Myanmar, according to the junta, whose top general made a rare call for international assistance on Friday.A strong earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighboring Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay https://t.co/FvDLAXLq8S pic.twitter.com/6m3NkabvoZ— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2025 'Don't think there's any hope'"Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," the junta said in a statement on state media on Saturday.A Chinese rescue team arrived in Myanmar's commercial capital of Yangon, hundreds of kilometers from the hard-hit cities on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, the country's purpose-built capital, where parts of a 1,000-bed hospital were damaged. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." The quake damaged roads, bridges, and buildings in Myanmar, according to the junta, whose top general made a rare call for international assistance on Friday.A strong earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighboring Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay https://t.co/FvDLAXLq8S pic.twitter.com/6m3NkabvoZ— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2025 'Don't think there's any hope'"Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," the junta said in a statement on state media on Saturday.A Chinese rescue team arrived in Myanmar's commercial capital of Yangon, hundreds of kilometers from the hard-hit cities on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, the country's purpose-built capital, where parts of a 1,000-bed hospital were damaged. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." A strong earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighboring Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay https://t.co/FvDLAXLq8S pic.twitter.com/6m3NkabvoZ— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2025 A strong earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighboring Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay https://t.co/FvDLAXLq8S pic.twitter.com/6m3NkabvoZ "Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," the junta said in a statement on state media on Saturday.A Chinese rescue team arrived in Myanmar's commercial capital of Yangon, hundreds of kilometers from the hard-hit cities on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, the country's purpose-built capital, where parts of a 1,000-bed hospital were damaged. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." A Chinese rescue team arrived in Myanmar's commercial capital of Yangon, hundreds of kilometers from the hard-hit cities on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, the country's purpose-built capital, where parts of a 1,000-bed hospital were damaged. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore were sending planeloads of relief supplies and personnel to Myanmar, which has been ravaged by a civil war after a 2021 military coup ousted an elected civilian government. Advertisement"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." "We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organizations.The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." The United States, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." The quake, which hit around lunchtime on Friday, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta's control.In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city, residents and rescue workers scrambled to pull people out from under collapsed buildings, struggling with limited heavy machinery available to remove debris.After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." After he was dragged out from under a wall by other residents, Htet Min Oo, 25, said he tried to clear the rubble of a crumpled building himself to rescue his grandmother and two uncles - but eventually gave up."I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." "I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he told Reuters, breaking into tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope."Searching Bangkok tower rubbleSusan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." Susan Hough, a scientist in the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program, told Reuters it was difficult to predict an earthquake's death toll, for various reasons including timing.When a quake strikes during the daytime, as it did in Myanmar, "people are awake, they have their wits about them, they are better able to respond," she said.In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." In Bangkok, 1,000 km (620 miles) from the epicenter, a rescue mission stepped up its efforts on Saturday to find construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed 33-story tower.Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." Authorities used excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate the 30 people stuck, including at least 15 still showing signs of life."We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." "We will do everything, we will not give up on saving lives, we will use all resources," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site.After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." After the city ground to a halt on Friday, hundreds spent the night in parks, but the situation was improving on Saturday, he said.Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." Waanpetch Panta sat at the site of the collapsed building with her husband, watching the rescue operations and waiting for news of their 18-year-old daughter, who is among the missing."I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this." "I prayed that my daughter was among those taken to the hospital already," she said, "All I can do is sit and wait like this."
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People in Mandalay fear further deadly tremors amid widespread poverty and aid cuts after four years of civil war As darkness fell in Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, many residents set up small tents and prepared to sleep on the streets rather than risk going back to their homes. “We are afraid that some weak buildings might collapse,” said Ko Ko, who asked not to give his full name. Mandalay was one of the areas worst affected by Friday's earthquake, a shallow 7.7-magnitude tremor that was followed minutes later by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock. Ko Ko had been driving in his car when the ground shook for the second time. “We stopped at the corner of the road because of the shaking. At that moment, a hospital collapsed right in front of me, like waffle sheets crumbling, and a large cloud of dust emerged like in the movie scene,” he said. Most places in Mandalay were badly damaged, he added. The extent of the destruction could take time to emerge. Myanmar is ruled by a repressive military junta that took power in 2021, and which has banned most independent media, forcing journalists to operate underground or in exile. After the earthquake, the military – which has few allies – made a rare plea for international help, suggesting deep concern over the damage. The military seized power after ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, a move that was widely opposed by the public and triggered an armed resistance made up of a patchwork of pro-democracy groups and ethnic armed organisations. The junta has since lost swathes of territory along its borders, though it remains in control of areas such as Mandalay. Nadi, who also asked not to give her full name, said her brother-in-law, Imran, had been praying inside a mosque when the ground began to shake violently on Friday afternoon. The force of the quake brought down all buildings inside the mosque compound. He tried to escape, said Nadi, but was bleeding heavily. “The mobile phone networks were down and the rescue teams arrived very late,” she said. He died, aged 18. Nadi said the mosque was one of two that collapsed in the area. A hotel building and surrounding houses had also been destroyed. “The hotel collapsed up to the third floor, and hotel staff and the owner remain trapped,” she said. “People are still trapped inside the houses.” The casualties, Nadi said, were becoming “higher and higher”. Footage shared on social media showed scenes of destruction: monasteries, mosques, flats and roads either damaged or destroyed. One video showed the University of Mandalay consumed by thick smoke, while images elsewhere in the city showed buildings brought to the ground or skewed by the force of the quake. Another showed a group of monks ducking as a large building in the distance collapsed entirely. Yet another, taken outside a damaged mosque, showed people clambering over debris and bricks. An eyewitness said eight people had been killed and others were feared trapped after a construction building in Pyigyidagun Township also collapsed. The military regime has called for blood donors as public hospitals in the Sagaing and Mandalay regions filled with patients. Hundreds of casualties were also taken to a hospital in the capital, Naypyidaw, where the emergency department's entrance had collapsed on to a car, AFP reported. Patients were treated outside. “I haven't seen [something] like this before,” a doctor told AFP. “We are trying to handle the situation. I'm so exhausted now.” Emergency services in Myanmar were already severely overstretched by the coup and subsequent conflict. “Myanmar is in a dire situation, where the military junta's four-year war of attrition has plunged a third of the population – 20 million people – into poverty and humanitarian need,” said the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, an independent group of international experts set up after the coup to support the return of democracy. The earthquake, the group added, had “come at a precarious moment when crippling aid cuts have left vulnerable communities more exposed than ever”. Ko Ko said people needed reliable information, but social media feeds, where accessible, were instead flooded with unverified reports, or messages about mandatory conscription from the widely loathed military. With rescuers overrun, local people have sought to protect themselves, he added. “People are managing on their own to solve the problem. The residents have blocked the overpass because they are afraid it will collapse.” The aftershocks from Friday's earthquake continued into the evening. “About an hour ago, I felt it shake for about two seconds,” he said. For now, people in Mandalay felt safer sleeping outside.
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‘This is not how you talk to your close allies,' says Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen Denmark has hit back against JD Vance's comments that Copenhagen has not done enough for Greenland. The US vice-president made his remark on Friday during a trip to the Pituffik space base in north-western Greenland, viewed by both Copenhagen and Nuuk as a provocation. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance told a press conference. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass.” The Danish foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said on X on Saturday: “We are open to criticisms, but let me be completely honest, we do not appreciate the tone in which it's being delivered. “This is not how you speak to your close allies, and I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies.” Trump argues that the US needs the vast Arctic island for national and international security and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. “I think Greenland understands that the United States should own it,” Vance said in a press conference on Friday. “And if Denmark and the EU don't understand it, we have to explain it to them. We need Greenland. Very importantly, for international security, we have to have Greenland.” Asked about the potential use of force, Vance stressed the US administration did not think that “is ever going to be necessary”. “We think this makes sense, and because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we're going to be able to cut a deal, Donald Trump-style, to ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America,” Vance said. Greenland, a former Danish colony, is a semi-autonomous territory within the kingdom of Denmark and its foreign and security policies are run by Copenhagen. Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, also hit back at Vance in a statement. “For many years, we have stood by the Americans in very difficult situations,” she said, referring to Danish combat deployments alongside US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. “The vice-president's reference to Denmark is not accurate.” Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion Vance was accompanied by his wife, Usha, and a delegation including the national security adviser, Mike Waltz, the energy secretary, Chris Wright, Utah senator Mike Lee and former homeland security adviser Julia Nesheiwat, who is Waltz's wife. Danish and Greenlandic officials, backed by the EU, have insisted that the US will not obtain Greenland. This week, Frederiksen accused the US of putting “unacceptable pressure” on Greenland and Denmark to give up the territory, adding: “It is pressure that we will resist.” A majority of Greenlanders oppose US annexation, according to a January poll. The Pituffik base is an essential part of Washington's missile defence infrastructure, its location in the Arctic putting it along the shortest route for missiles fired from Russia at the US. Known as Thule air base until 2023, it served as a warning post for possible attacks from the Soviet Union during the cold war. It is also a strategic location for air and submarine surveillance. In January, Copenhagen said it would allocate almost £1.5bn to beef up its presence in the Arctic and north Atlantic, acquiring specialised vessels and surveillance equipment. While all of Greenland's political parties are in favour of independence, none of them supports the idea of becoming part of the US. Hours before Vance's arrival, political leaders agreed to form a broad four-party coalition government in a show of national unity. Four of the territory's five parties signed the coalition agreement on Friday, which states on page one: “Greenland belongs to us.” The incoming prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, called for unity. “It is very important that we put aside our disagreements and differences … because only in this way will we be able to cope with the heavy pressure we are exposed to from outside,” he said.
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When Uzbekistan-born Nikita Tourdiev arrived in Israel in 1992 on a month-long professional singing tour just before turning 25, she had no intention of staying. She was traveling the world and hoped to live in America.“I was from the Soviet Union, and until age 20,I could not even leave my country; the border was closed. I left three days after [president Mikhail] Gorbachev opened the borders and spent five years touring Europe and other countries. Israel was part of the tour,” she said. Learn how to buy your home in Israel with confidence >>“And then something happened when I got off the plane. It was a summer night, and I had a feeling that the earth was like a sponge sucking me in. It was a little weird, a very unfamiliar feeling. I just felt at home.”She had a contract to perform her cabaret-like shows for a month. She prolonged the contract for another month, and then decided to stay permanently. She flew back to Uzbekistan to wrap up her affairs and do the paperwork, arriving in Israel as a new immigrant in October 1993. AdvertisementBorn in Tashkent to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, she split her childhood between Tashkent and Moscow, where her maternal grandmother lived. Her Jewish paternal grandmother, from Odessa, was married to a Muslim man. 'Avatar': A work by Nikita Ben Ami (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)“I was never connected to Judaism, but a friend who is a rabbi once told me that I'm a lost Jewish soul,” she said. “And I'm discovering I am totally Zionist.” Making a living in Israel in the artsRealizing the difficulty of making a living as a singer in Israel, she began working in graphic arts.“And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “I was from the Soviet Union, and until age 20,I could not even leave my country; the border was closed. I left three days after [president Mikhail] Gorbachev opened the borders and spent five years touring Europe and other countries. Israel was part of the tour,” she said. Learn how to buy your home in Israel with confidence >>“And then something happened when I got off the plane. It was a summer night, and I had a feeling that the earth was like a sponge sucking me in. It was a little weird, a very unfamiliar feeling. I just felt at home.”She had a contract to perform her cabaret-like shows for a month. She prolonged the contract for another month, and then decided to stay permanently. She flew back to Uzbekistan to wrap up her affairs and do the paperwork, arriving in Israel as a new immigrant in October 1993. AdvertisementBorn in Tashkent to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, she split her childhood between Tashkent and Moscow, where her maternal grandmother lived. Her Jewish paternal grandmother, from Odessa, was married to a Muslim man. 'Avatar': A work by Nikita Ben Ami (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)“I was never connected to Judaism, but a friend who is a rabbi once told me that I'm a lost Jewish soul,” she said. “And I'm discovering I am totally Zionist.” Making a living in Israel in the artsRealizing the difficulty of making a living as a singer in Israel, she began working in graphic arts.“And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “And then something happened when I got off the plane. It was a summer night, and I had a feeling that the earth was like a sponge sucking me in. It was a little weird, a very unfamiliar feeling. I just felt at home.”She had a contract to perform her cabaret-like shows for a month. She prolonged the contract for another month, and then decided to stay permanently. She flew back to Uzbekistan to wrap up her affairs and do the paperwork, arriving in Israel as a new immigrant in October 1993. AdvertisementBorn in Tashkent to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, she split her childhood between Tashkent and Moscow, where her maternal grandmother lived. Her Jewish paternal grandmother, from Odessa, was married to a Muslim man. 'Avatar': A work by Nikita Ben Ami (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)“I was never connected to Judaism, but a friend who is a rabbi once told me that I'm a lost Jewish soul,” she said. “And I'm discovering I am totally Zionist.” Making a living in Israel in the artsRealizing the difficulty of making a living as a singer in Israel, she began working in graphic arts.“And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> She had a contract to perform her cabaret-like shows for a month. She prolonged the contract for another month, and then decided to stay permanently. She flew back to Uzbekistan to wrap up her affairs and do the paperwork, arriving in Israel as a new immigrant in October 1993. AdvertisementBorn in Tashkent to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, she split her childhood between Tashkent and Moscow, where her maternal grandmother lived. Her Jewish paternal grandmother, from Odessa, was married to a Muslim man. 'Avatar': A work by Nikita Ben Ami (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)“I was never connected to Judaism, but a friend who is a rabbi once told me that I'm a lost Jewish soul,” she said. “And I'm discovering I am totally Zionist.” Making a living in Israel in the artsRealizing the difficulty of making a living as a singer in Israel, she began working in graphic arts.“And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Born in Tashkent to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, she split her childhood between Tashkent and Moscow, where her maternal grandmother lived. Her Jewish paternal grandmother, from Odessa, was married to a Muslim man. 'Avatar': A work by Nikita Ben Ami (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)“I was never connected to Judaism, but a friend who is a rabbi once told me that I'm a lost Jewish soul,” she said. “And I'm discovering I am totally Zionist.” Making a living in Israel in the artsRealizing the difficulty of making a living as a singer in Israel, she began working in graphic arts.“And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “I was never connected to Judaism, but a friend who is a rabbi once told me that I'm a lost Jewish soul,” she said. “And I'm discovering I am totally Zionist.” Making a living in Israel in the artsRealizing the difficulty of making a living as a singer in Israel, she began working in graphic arts.“And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Realizing the difficulty of making a living as a singer in Israel, she began working in graphic arts.“And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “And then a miracle happened. A friend suggested I make jewelry. As crazy as it sounds, I said ‘Okay.'” I made jewelry out of anything I saw, like shells and stones, not traditional jewelry. It was a kind of substitute for singing because it felt like music to me,” she said. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Soon she was doing exhibitions and accepting commissions. On on occasion, when she arrived at the Tiroche Auction House in Herzliya wearing some of her bracelets, she was asked to place them in the auction. She sold 10 pieces. Another time, she was commissioned to fashion jewelry out of trash for a movie. “It's an intriguing process to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful thing,” she marveled. AdvertisementIn 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> In 1999, she applied to the Omanit School for Jewelry Design in Tel Aviv in mid-semester. “They accepted me and asked me to bring my tools – and here I am, coming with a manicure set. It was very funny, but that's what I used to make my jewelry.”The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> The academy placed some of her pieces in the display window of a Jerusalem hotel gift shop, which helped to fuel her success. She “made a lot of crazy things, like a crown for a beauty contest. I called them wearable sculptures.”Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Despite her sudden decision to live in Israel, she never lost her wanderlust. She started her life in Israel residng briefly in Kibbutz Ginegar and has lived in 16 cities over the past 32 years. She has also traveled extensively, from Brazil to China and many places in between. After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> After 10 years in Israel, she decided to fulfill her dream of living in America. For three years, she plied her jewelry trade in the United States, starting in Los Angeles and moving to Las Vegas, Miami, and then Connecticut. But the experience disappointed her.“I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “I always felt it was not my place. It didn't feel like freedom; it seemed more like the Soviet Union. I was never relaxed or feeling at home. I felt a thread pulling me back to Israel all the time,” she recounted. When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> When she returned to Israel, she recalled, “I was dancing for 11 hours on the plane. I was so happy! I couldn't wait to see the coastline come into view.” ‘SYMPHONY OF the Blue Night': A work by Nikita Ben Ami. (credit: Courtesy Nikita Ben Ami)SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> SHE OPENED her own shop on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv and later near the Diamond Exchange. After almost 20 years of jewelry-making, she transitioned to large sculptures. She was commissioned by the Helping Hand Coalition, which assists Holocaust survivors, to create a sculpture. It was presented to Pope Francis in 2022 and was exhibited in the Vatican's Holocaust Museum. It is now in the pope's personal library.In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> In 2019, she opened a jewelry and sculpture studio in Neveh Tzedek. When the COVID pandemic hit, she had to shut her doors temporarily. “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “I was really missing color during that very scary time,” she recalled, so right after the first quarantine, she bought canvases and started creating acrylic paintings. These works sold well when she was able to reopen her shop. “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “I moved to Kadima and opened a big studio there. I still make jewelry and sculptures, and I paint a lot – mostly big canvases, a meter or two. I've had my paintings in many galleries and exhibitions,” she said.Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Ben Ami paints extemporaneously, depending on how she feels at the moment.She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> She will have a three-week exhibition at the Salome Gallery in Jaffa, opening on April 1, with the grand opening event at noon on April 5. Among the works will be a series she created in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war. The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> The show is titled “The Other Side of the Canvas: The Story Untold.” The paintings will be hung on glass walls to show two sides of canvases; the “other side” depicts her life story in pictures.Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Ben Ami currently lives in Netanya near her father, 85, who made aliyah in 2000 and led cancer research labs at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Bar-Ilan University, and Hadassah-University Medical Center. Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Her studio is called Happy Place, but her “happy place” changes often. “I can never stay in one place for a long. I am an artist, so I like to experience new things,” she explained. “When I do something new, I go all the way. You can only get a sense of something when you go really deep and understand it in your body and soul.”Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Her latest obsession is Japanese drumming. She has always liked Japanese culture. In fact, she has a Japanese Shiba Inu dog along with two cats. One day, an ad popped up on Facebook for a drumming class at Taiko Life Israel. “I enrolled immediately, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life,” she enthused.She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> She now teaches at the Taiko Life Academy and plays in Taiko Life's professional ensemble. She is preparing for a performance on April 4, the day before her exhibition's grand opening.Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Her surname, Ben Ami, is a remnant from a short-lived marriage. With the blessing of her ex-husband, she kept the name because its meaning, “son of my people,” resonates with her.“If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> “If someone asks me to describe my feelings about Israel, I say that even when everything seems bad, I still feel something good. I chose this country, and it's my home.” Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >> Nikita Ben Ami: From Uzbekistan to Kibbutz Ginegar, 1993Sign up for our newsletter to learn more >>
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Aid agencies warn of ‘extremely difficult' response amid Myanmar's continuing civil war with true scale of disaster yet to emerge The death toll from a huge earthquake that hit Myanmar has passed 1,600, as rescuers continue a desperate search for survivors and aid agencies warn of an “extremely difficult” response amid the country's continuing conflict. The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, and was followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. Witness reports and social media footage suggest extensive damage in Mandalay, Myanmar's second biggest city, where buildings, religious sites and main roads were either destroyed or damaged. Myanmar's military junta said 1,644 people had been killed and 3,408 injured, while a further 139 others were missing. Six deaths have also been confirmed in Bangkok, the Thai capital, where a high-rise building under construction collapsed, trapping dozens of workers. A further 26 are injured and 47 still missing. The update came after rescuers pulled a woman alive from the wreckage of a collapsed apartment building in Mandalay, 30 hours after a devastating quake hit Myanmar. Phyu Lay Khaing, 30, was brought out of the sky villa condominium on a stretcher by rescuers and was embraced by her husband, Ye Aung, and taken to hospital. “In the beginning I didn't think she would be alive,” Ye Aung told AFP. “I am very happy that I heard good news,” said the trader. The couple have two sons:William, eight, and Ethan, five. A Red Cross official told AFP earlier that more than 90 people could be trapped under the remains of the apartment block. The Thai authorities are using drones fitted with thermal-imaging technology to search for survivors and believe there are indications that at least 15 people are still alive. The Junta chief in Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing, issued a rare appeal for international aid, suggesting deep concern over the damage, and declared a state of emergency across the six worst-affected regions. Several countries, including Malaysia, Russia and China, have dispatched rescuers and relief teams. Many humanitarian agencies have been cutting back their programmes in Myanmar after Donald Trump's cuts to the US Agency for International Development. The World Food Programme's country director, Michael Dunford, said it could be “days and weeks” before the true scale of the damage in Myanmar, which has been gripped by conflict since a military coup in 2021, is known. He said: “This was a highly complex, extremely difficult operating theatre before the conflict. This catastrophe – and it really is a catastrophe – is simply going to make it more so. Already a third of the population requires humanitarian assistance. That number is inevitably going to rise.” Since seizing power in a widely opposed coup in 2021, the junta has struggled to control an armed resistance movement to its rule, which is formed of a patchwork of groups, including civilians who took up arms to fight for the return of democracy, and ethnic armed organisations that have long fought for independence. The junta has suffered humiliating defeats on the battlefield, with a BBC study estimating that it has full control over only 21% of Myanmar's territory – though it does retain control of big cities such as Mandalay. The junta has repeatedly been accused of blocking humanitarian aid to areas where its opponents are active. Agencies that are delivering aid must obtain travel authorisations from the military, which has in the past been repeatedly accused of blocking humanitarian aid. It was the biggest quake to hit Myanmar in more than a century, according to US geologists, and the tremors were powerful enough to severely damage buildings across Bangkok, hundreds of miles away from the epicentre. Crews worked on Saturday in the capital Naypyidaw to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone and internet services remained down for most of the city. The earthquake brought down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government civil servants, but that section of the city was blocked off by authorities on Saturday. Bangkok city authorities said more than 100 engineers will inspect the city's buildings, after it received more than 2,000 reports of damage. While there was no widespread destruction, the shaking brought some dramatic images of rooftop swimming pools sloshing their contents down the side of many of the city's towering apartment blocks. Hospitals, hotels, offices and high-rise condos were all evacuated. One woman delivered her baby outdoors after being moved from a hospital building, while a surgeon also continued to operate on a patient after evacuating, a spokesperson told Agence-France Presse. But the worst of the damage was in Myanmar, where four years of civil war sparked by a military coup have left healthcare services severely overstretched. Rescue teams have been deployed from China and Russia, two of the isolated junta's only allies. A 37-member team from the Chinese province of Yunnan reached Yangon early on Saturday with earthquake detectors, drones and other supplies, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Russia's emergencies ministry dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from the Russian state news agency Tass. India also sent a search and rescue team and a medical team as well as provisions, while Malaysia's foreign ministry said the country would send 50 people on Sunday. The United Nations allocated $5m (£3.9m) to start relief efforts. President Trump said on Friday that the US was going to help with the response. India, France and the EU offered to provide assistance, while the WHO said it was mobilising to prepare trauma injury supplies. The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, had spoken to Min Aung Hlaing, the Chinese embassy said, while state media reported he had “expressed deep sorrow” over the destruction and said China was “willing to provide Myanmar the needed assistance to support people in affected areas”. The military regime has called for blood donors as public hospitals in the Sagaing and Mandalay regions have become overrun with patients. Images on social media have shown scenes of devastation, including collapsed buildings, and volunteers scrambling to rescue those trapped beneath rubble. “The whole of Mandalay city was affected by the earthquake,” said a witness, who asked not to be named. “The rescue teams and hospitals are now overrun. We are managing with the resources we have in the neighbourhood,” they said. Agence France-Presse, Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, make the remarks in a video posted to social media after U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the strategic island. US Vice President JD Vance says Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland's security and demands Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump continues to talk of taking over the Danish territory. Vance spoke to US troops at Pituffik Space Base. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokraatit, the biggest party in parliament, was sworn in as prime minister. It happened as U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in Greenland to visit America's Pituffik Space Base. Vice President JD Vance and his wife on Friday toured a U.S. military base in Greenland. The visit was revised after an initial three-day trip to the semi-autonomous Danish territory created uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were irked that the travel plans were announced without previous consultation. (AP video: Philip Crowther, Emilio Morenatti) Vice President JD Vance arrives at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Cross-political support demonstration for Greenland and Greenlanders in front of Greenland's representation in Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Thomas Traasdahl//Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Two Greenland flags and a sign that reads “Our land, Our future” are seen in front of the Inussuk statue, a sculpture marking the start of Self Governance, during a visit by US Vice President JD Vance in Nuuk Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/ Philip Crowther) Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance tour the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Cross-political support demonstration for Greenland and Greenlanders in front of Greenland's representation in Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Thomas Traasdahl//Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Vice President JD Vance tours the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Cross-political support demonstration for Greenland and Greenlanders in front of Greenland's representation in Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Thomas Traasdahl//Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, center, tour the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance tours the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, center, poses with second lady Usha Vance, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz,his wife , former homeland security adviser, Julia Nesheiwat, left, and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, right, as they tour the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, center, poses with second lady Usha Vance, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz,his wife , former homeland security adviser, Julia Nesheiwat, left, and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, right, as they tour the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) NUUK, Greenland (AP) — The Danish foreign minister on Saturday scolded the Trump administration for its “tone” in criticizing Denmark and Greenland, saying his country is already investing more into Arctic security and remains open to more cooperation with the U.S. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, make the remarks in a video posted to social media after U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the strategic island. “Many accusations and many allegations have been made. And of course we are open to criticism,” Rasmussen said speaking in English. “But let me be completely honest: we do not appreciate the tone in which it is being delivered. This is not how you speak to your close allies. And I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies.” Vance on Friday said Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland's security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump pushes to take over the Danish territory. Vance visited U.S. troops on Pituffik Space Base on mineral-rich Greenland alongside his wife and other senior U.S. officials for a trip that was ultimately scaled back after an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were not consulted about the original itinerary. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said Friday. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.” Trump on Friday released a video on his social networking site Truth Social entitled “America Stands With Greenland,” showing footage of U.S. troops there during World War II. In Greenland, Vance said the U.S. has “no option” but to take a significant position to ensure the security of the island as he encouraged a push in Greenland for independence from Denmark. “I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States,” Vance said. “We could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection. And I think they'd fare a lot better economically as well.” The reaction by members of Greenland's parliament and residents has rendered that unlikely, with anger erupting over the Trump administration's attempts to annex the vast Arctic island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pushed back on Vance's claim that Denmark isn't doing enough for defense in the Arctic, calling her country “a good and strong ally.” And Greenlandic lawmakers on Thursday agreed to form a new government, banding together to resist Trump's overtures. Four of the five parties elected to Greenland's parliament earlier this month have agreed to form a coalition that will have 23 of 31 seats in the legislature. The following day, Danish King Frederik X posted on Facebook: “We live in an altered reality. There should be no doubt that my love for Greenland and my connectedness to the people of Greenland are intact.” Hundreds of protesters demonstrated Saturday outside the U.S. Embassy in the Danish capital Copenhagen with some lifting signs saying, “back off, USA” Danish broadcaster TV2 reported. Even Greenland's national dogsled race - Avannaata Qimussersu - which kicked off Saturday with some 37 mushers and 444 dogs was not left unaffected. Usha Vance, the vice president's wife, who was originally scheduled to attend the race opted out when her husband decided to join the trip and visit the military base instead, reducing the likelihood that they would cross paths with Greenlanders. Løkke Rasmussen, in his video, reminded viewers of the 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the United States. Since 1945, the American military presence in Greenland has decreased from thousands of soldiers over 17 bases and installations on the island, he said, to the remote Pituffik Space Base in the northwest with some 200 soldiers today. The 1951 agreement “offers ample opportunity for the United States to have a much stronger military presence in Greenland,” the foreign minister said. “If that is what you wish, then let us discuss it.” Løkke Rasmussen added that Denmark has increased its own investment into Arctic defense. In January, Denmark announced 14.6 billion Danish kroner (US$2.1 billion) in financial commitments for Arctic security covering three new naval vessels, long-range drones and satellites. Grieshaber reported from Berlin and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio in Berlin contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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The Hind Rajab Foundation filed a criminal complaint against a German-Israeli IDF soldier in Germany, the organization announced on Saturday.The controversial organization alleged that the tank commander had been involved “in serious war crimes committed during Israel's military assault on Gaza.” The tank commander is the second IDF personnel to be reported to German authorities by the organization this month.Visual and testimonial evidence was reportedly submitted to German authorities, although the organization complained the country had failed to investigate the accusations. The Hind Rajab Foundation, earlier this week, also filed an appeal with the Nepalese government, requesting they arrest and extradite an IDF soldier to Argentina, where a legal case is reportedly open against him. The Hind Rajab Foundation accuses an Israeli solider of 'war crimes.' Illustrative (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)About the Hind Rajab FoundationThe Belgium-based organization originally made headlines after it doxxed an Israeli soldier visiting Brazil, resulting in a legal case being opened and the soldier fleeing the country.In November, the foundation requested the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against approximately 1,000 IDF soldiers listed in a document filed to the court.The Hind Rajab Foundation allegedly has strong ties to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group. The group's founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, according to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. The controversial organization alleged that the tank commander had been involved “in serious war crimes committed during Israel's military assault on Gaza.” The tank commander is the second IDF personnel to be reported to German authorities by the organization this month.Visual and testimonial evidence was reportedly submitted to German authorities, although the organization complained the country had failed to investigate the accusations. The Hind Rajab Foundation, earlier this week, also filed an appeal with the Nepalese government, requesting they arrest and extradite an IDF soldier to Argentina, where a legal case is reportedly open against him. The Hind Rajab Foundation accuses an Israeli solider of 'war crimes.' Illustrative (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)About the Hind Rajab FoundationThe Belgium-based organization originally made headlines after it doxxed an Israeli soldier visiting Brazil, resulting in a legal case being opened and the soldier fleeing the country.In November, the foundation requested the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against approximately 1,000 IDF soldiers listed in a document filed to the court.The Hind Rajab Foundation allegedly has strong ties to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group. The group's founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, according to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. Visual and testimonial evidence was reportedly submitted to German authorities, although the organization complained the country had failed to investigate the accusations. The Hind Rajab Foundation, earlier this week, also filed an appeal with the Nepalese government, requesting they arrest and extradite an IDF soldier to Argentina, where a legal case is reportedly open against him. The Hind Rajab Foundation accuses an Israeli solider of 'war crimes.' Illustrative (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)About the Hind Rajab FoundationThe Belgium-based organization originally made headlines after it doxxed an Israeli soldier visiting Brazil, resulting in a legal case being opened and the soldier fleeing the country.In November, the foundation requested the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against approximately 1,000 IDF soldiers listed in a document filed to the court.The Hind Rajab Foundation allegedly has strong ties to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group. The group's founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, according to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. The Hind Rajab Foundation, earlier this week, also filed an appeal with the Nepalese government, requesting they arrest and extradite an IDF soldier to Argentina, where a legal case is reportedly open against him. The Hind Rajab Foundation accuses an Israeli solider of 'war crimes.' Illustrative (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)About the Hind Rajab FoundationThe Belgium-based organization originally made headlines after it doxxed an Israeli soldier visiting Brazil, resulting in a legal case being opened and the soldier fleeing the country.In November, the foundation requested the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against approximately 1,000 IDF soldiers listed in a document filed to the court.The Hind Rajab Foundation allegedly has strong ties to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group. The group's founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, according to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. The Belgium-based organization originally made headlines after it doxxed an Israeli soldier visiting Brazil, resulting in a legal case being opened and the soldier fleeing the country.In November, the foundation requested the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against approximately 1,000 IDF soldiers listed in a document filed to the court.The Hind Rajab Foundation allegedly has strong ties to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group. The group's founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, according to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. In November, the foundation requested the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against approximately 1,000 IDF soldiers listed in a document filed to the court.The Hind Rajab Foundation allegedly has strong ties to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group. The group's founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, according to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. The Hind Rajab Foundation allegedly has strong ties to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group. The group's founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, according to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. The organization is also strongly tied to a Hezbollah-affiliated funding network, according to former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment.Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. Michael Starr and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
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Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Myanmar's Naypyitaw International Airport. The photos taken on Saturday show the tower toppled over as if sheered from its base. Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar. It was not immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake on Friday. It likely also stopped air traffic into the international airport, given all electronics and radar would have been routed into the tower for controllers. Flights carrying rescue teams from China have avoided going directly to the airports in the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw. Widespread damage in Naypyitaw as Myanmar bears brunt of strong earthquake The new total of 1,644 is a sharp rise over the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier in the military-run country. Myanmar's military junta said at least 1,644 people have died in the powerful quake that rocked the country Friday. Rescuers continue to search for survivors, as international teams arrive to help. The country's military-led government said ‘detailed figures are still being collected'. Detectives investigating an incident of violent disorder in Southend last summer have made a 10th arrest The tech billionaire and Donald Trump advisor made the announcement on Friday. It's unclear what will change for users of the social media site.View on euronews Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin, said it's illegal for Elon Musk to cut $1 million paychecks for voters who support Brad Schimel, a Republican candidate for the state's Supreme Court. “Elon Musk has committed a blatant felony by offering money for votes in order to help Brad Schimel,” Wikler said in… When it was erected in 2019, the giant shell over the damaged nuclear reactor in Chernobyl was one of the biggest structures ever moved by humans. In February a Russian drone put a hole in it. Police have evacuated Newport Police Station and closed surrounding streets following the discovery of a suspected unexploded device. The UK government has issued new guidance to travellers visiting Thailand and Myanmar after the powerful earthquake struck Peter and Anne Watts made headlines when they became one of around four British households to have an air-source heat pump fitted in 2008. According to an expert, there's a simple way to keep the rodents off your property before they become an infestation Communities across the Australian state of Queensland are bracing for more rain after record-breaking floods cut off roads and inundated vast areas of the region's outback. The EU said people should have some essentials on standby Experts say that the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on Friday was likely the strongest to hit the country in decades, with disaster modelling suggesting thousands could be dead.Automatic assessments from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the shallow 7.7-magnitude quake northwest of the central Myanmar city of Sagaing triggered a red alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses."High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," it said, locating the epicentre near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay, home to more than a million people.Myanmar's ruling junta said on Saturday morning that the number killed had passed 1,000, with more than 2,000 injured.However, the USGS analysis said there was a 35 percent chance that possible fatalities could be in the range of 10,000-100,000 people.The USGS offered a similar likelihood that the financial damage could total tens of thousands of millions of dollars, warning that it might exceed the GDP of Myanmar.Weak infrastructure will complicate relief efforts in the isolated, military-ruled state, where rescue services and the healthcare system have already been ravaged by four years of civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021.- Dangerous fault -Bill McGuire, emeritus professor of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London (UCL), said it was "probably the biggest earthquake on the Myanmar mainland in three-quarters of a century".A 6.7-magnitude aftershock struck minutes after the first and McGuire warned that "more can be expected".Rebecca Bell, a tectonics expert at Imperial College London (ICL), suggested it was a side-to-side "strike-slip" of the Sagaing Fault.This is where the Indian tectonic plate, to the west, meets the Sunda plate that forms much of Southeast Asia -- a fault similar in scale and movement to the San Andreas Fault in California."The Sagaing fault is very long, 1,200 kilometres (745 miles), and very straight," Bell said. "The straight nature means earthquakes can rupture over large areas -- and the larger the area of the fault that slips, the larger the earthquake."Earthquakes in such cases can be "particularly destructive", Bell added, explaining that since the quake takes place at a shallow depth, its seismic energy has dissipated little by the time it reaches populated areas above.That causes "a lot of shaking at the surface", Bell said.- Building boom -Myanmar has been hit by powerful quakes in the past.There have been more than 14 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or above in the past century, including a magnitude 6.8 earthquake near Mandalay in 1956, said Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey.Ian Watkinson, from the department of earth sciences at Royal Holloway University of London, said what had changed in recent decades was the "boom in high-rise buildings constructed from reinforced concrete".Myanmar has been riven by years of conflict and there is a low level of building design enforcement. "Critically, during all previous magnitude 7 or larger earthquakes along the Sagaing Fault, Myanmar was relatively undeveloped, with mostly low-rise timber-framed buildings and brick-built religious monuments," Watkinson said. "Today's earthquake is the first test of modern Myanmar's infrastructure against a large, shallow-focus earthquake close to its major cities."Baptie said that at least 2.8 million people in Myanmar were in hard-hit areas where most lived in buildings "constructed from timber and unreinforced brick masonry" that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking."The usual mantra is that 'earthquakes don't kill people; collapsing infrastructure does'," said Ilan Kelman, an expert in disaster reduction at UCL."Governments are responsible for planning regulations and building codes. This disaster exposes what governments of Burma/Myanmar failed to do long before the earthquake, which would have saved lives during the shaking."- Skyscraper checks -Strong tremors also rocked neighbouring Thailand, where a 30-storey skyscraper under construction was reduced to a pile of dusty concrete, trapping workers in the debris.Christian Malaga-Chuquitaype, from ICL's civil and environmental engineering department, said the nature of the ground in Bangkok contributed to the impact on the city, despite being some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the epicentre in Myanmar. "Even though Bangkok is far from active faults, its soft soil amplifies the shaking," he said. "This affects especially tall buildings during distant earthquakes." Malaga-Chuquitaype said the construction techniques in Bangkok favouring "flat slabs" -- where floors are held only by columns without using strengthening beams, like a table supported only by legs -- were a "problematic design".He said that initial video analysis of the collapsed tower block in Bangkok suggested this type of construction technique had been used."It performs poorly during earthquakes, often failing in a brittle and sudden (almost explosive) manner," he said.Roberto Gentile, a catastrophe risk modelling expert from UCL, said the "dramatic collapse" of the Bangkok tower block meant that "other tall buildings in the city may require a thorough assessment".Bangkok city authorities said they will deploy more than 100 engineers to inspect buildings for safety after receiving more than 2,000 reports of damage.bur-pjm/pbt From her home near Stroud in Gloucestershire, Emma Pinchbeck has a clear view out over the countryside to where 10 generations of her mother's family have lived, right up to the hills where a recent addition, a wind turbine, stands. There are fears that the invasive species is now able to survive the British winter Mother's Day arrived early at the London Zoo, with endangered Asiatic lioness Arya and her three cubs receiving scented cardboard boxes as a present, London zookeepers said on Friday, March 28.Mother's Day is celebrated on March 30 in the United Kingdom.Footage shared by the zoo shows the cubs Mali, Syanii, and Shanti sniffing the boxes and playing with them.In a press release, the zoo said keepers prepared the boxes “to enrich the lions' home and encourage the Zoo's family of five lions to make use of their incredible sense of smell.”London Zoo's Section Manager for big cats, Kate Sanders, said that the boxes were “the perfect way to celebrate” the cubs' bond with their mom ahead of Mother's Day. Credit: ZSL London Zoo via Storyful The cost of the Victoria Gold receivership — started after a catastrophic heap leach failure at the company's Eagle Gold mine in central Yukon last year — is set to more than double again.Firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which has been managing Victoria Gold's affairs since August, is seeking court approval to increase the maximum borrowing charge to $220 million, up from $105 million. In a report this week, PwC said that the current cash is expected to run out by mid to late April, with site The European Union has called for everyone to have their survival kit ready 'to prevent and respond to emerging threats'
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Tens of thousands of people gathered in Istanbul on Saturday to protest against the jailing of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, sustaining the largest demonstrations Turkey has seen in more than a decade.Hundreds of thousands have heeded opposition calls and taken to the streets nationwide since Imamoglu was detained last week and then jailed pending trial on graft charges. Protests have been mostly peaceful, but nearly 2,000 people have been detained.The main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups, and Western powers have all said the case against Imamoglu is a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan. The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.Tens of thousands waving Turkish flags and banners poured into the sea-front rally grounds at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. A person carries a Turkish flag as people take part in a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 24, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MURAD SEZER)Justice will be servedHundreds of thousands of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and banners flocked to the sea-front rally at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. Police imposed tight security around a venue where opposition supporters were gathering."If justice is silent, the people will speak," said one banner held aloft in the crowd. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Hundreds of thousands have heeded opposition calls and taken to the streets nationwide since Imamoglu was detained last week and then jailed pending trial on graft charges. Protests have been mostly peaceful, but nearly 2,000 people have been detained.The main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups, and Western powers have all said the case against Imamoglu is a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan. The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.Tens of thousands waving Turkish flags and banners poured into the sea-front rally grounds at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. A person carries a Turkish flag as people take part in a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 24, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MURAD SEZER)Justice will be servedHundreds of thousands of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and banners flocked to the sea-front rally at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. Police imposed tight security around a venue where opposition supporters were gathering."If justice is silent, the people will speak," said one banner held aloft in the crowd. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. The main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups, and Western powers have all said the case against Imamoglu is a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan. The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.Tens of thousands waving Turkish flags and banners poured into the sea-front rally grounds at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. A person carries a Turkish flag as people take part in a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 24, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MURAD SEZER)Justice will be servedHundreds of thousands of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and banners flocked to the sea-front rally at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. Police imposed tight security around a venue where opposition supporters were gathering."If justice is silent, the people will speak," said one banner held aloft in the crowd. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says the courts are independent.Tens of thousands waving Turkish flags and banners poured into the sea-front rally grounds at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. A person carries a Turkish flag as people take part in a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 24, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MURAD SEZER)Justice will be servedHundreds of thousands of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and banners flocked to the sea-front rally at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. Police imposed tight security around a venue where opposition supporters were gathering."If justice is silent, the people will speak," said one banner held aloft in the crowd. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Tens of thousands waving Turkish flags and banners poured into the sea-front rally grounds at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. A person carries a Turkish flag as people take part in a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 24, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MURAD SEZER)Justice will be servedHundreds of thousands of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and banners flocked to the sea-front rally at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. Police imposed tight security around a venue where opposition supporters were gathering."If justice is silent, the people will speak," said one banner held aloft in the crowd. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and banners flocked to the sea-front rally at Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for Saturday's "Freedom for Imamoglu" rally, organized by the CHP. Police imposed tight security around a venue where opposition supporters were gathering."If justice is silent, the people will speak," said one banner held aloft in the crowd. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. "If justice is silent, the people will speak," said one banner held aloft in the crowd. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. "I am not afraid, and I will continue to resist. I call on everyone not to be afraid .... They fired me (from my job) but one day, justice will be served," said Gunay Yildiz, a former employee of Istanbul's Esenyurt district municipality.Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Bunyamin Turan, a retired teacher, said: "When we look at the history of humanity, in all countries, all administrations, all regimes where there was such oppression, sooner or later, the people and those who resisted the oppression have won. The real owners of those countries won,"CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, speaking at the rally, said millions of Turks were seeking Imamoglu's release and an election. He said the charges against the mayor were baseless and politically motivated, and the CHP called for a boycott of media outlets, brands and stores that it says are pro-Erdogan. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Last Sunday, the CHP held a primary election to endorse Imamoglu as candidate for the next presidential election. That is scheduled to be held in 2028, but the CHP is calling for an early vote, arguing that the government has lost legitimacy.Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that nearly 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that courts had jailed 260 of them pending trial as of Thursday.Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades, has dismissed the protests as a "show," warned of legal consequences, and called on the CHP to stop "provoking" Turks. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. Since Imamoglu's detention, Turkish financial assets have plunged, prompting the central bank to use reserves to support the lira. The turmoil has sent shockwaves through the private sector.The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed. The government has said the impact will be limited and temporary. The central bank said the economy's core dynamics were unharmed but it would take further measures if needed.
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Hundreds of thousands gather for Ekrem İmamoğlu outside Istanbul centre in move to keep momentum after clashes with police Turkey's main opposition has rallied in defence of the jailed Istanbul mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, in a move to sustain the largest anti-government demonstrations in years. Hundreds of thousands of people attended the protest called by the head of the opposition Republican People's party (CHP) in a spot far from the Istanbul city centre. The party leader, Özgur Özel, claimed 2.2 million people attended. “They've detained hundreds of our children, thousands of our youths … arrested hundreds of them,” he told the crowds. “They only had one goal in mind: to intimidate them, terrify them, make sure they never go out again.” He added: “In the Turkey we envision presidential candidates will not be imprisoned,” calling for the release of both İmamoğlu and jailed Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş, a former presidential candidate who previously ran for office from prison, after he was jailed nine years ago on terrorism charges. Earlier this week, Özel had called an end to nightly rallies outside Istanbul city hall, where hundreds of thousands attended while small groups of demonstrators frequently clashed with police. Security forces used teargas, water cannon and pepper spray on demonstrators, which Human Rights Watch described as an “unwarranted and unlawful use of police force”. “Turkey is facing one of its gravest sociopolitical upheavals in decades,” said Human Rights Watch. Student groups and other small groups of protesters have continued disparate street protests in the days since the demonstrations outside city hall ended. The Turkish authorities have arrested 1,900 people in the 10 days since İmamoğlu was detained on corruption charges, before he was removed from office by the Turkish interior ministry and sent to a high-security facility on the edge of Istanbul. Many of those detained by security forces were seized in predawn raids, including 13 journalists. Ten photojournalists were arrested for covering the protests before being freed later in the week, hours before the justice minister, Yılmaz Tunç, met reporters, offering a defence of Turkey's record on press freedom. The BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was deported after covering the demonstrations, before Turkey's presidential communications directorate claimed he was expelled for not having press accreditation. Authorities also arrested a Swedish journalist who flew to Turkey to cover the protests. Two more Turkish journalists were also detained, as well as İmamoğlu's lawyer, who was later conditionally released. Özel told the French daily Le Monde that Saturday rallies would become a weekly occurrence in different cities across Turkey, while the party would hold similar gatherings in Istanbul each Wednesday. Özel said: “We believe the arrests will slow down from now.” He added that he was “ready to take the risk of spending eight to 10 years in prison if necessary because if we don't stop this attempted coup, it will mean the end of the ballot box”. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion İmamoğlu accused foreign leaders, particularly those in Europe, of failing to speak out about his detention in a message from prison published by the New York Times. He said: “Washington merely expressed ‘concerns regarding recent arrests and protests' in Turkey. With few exceptions, European leaders have failed to offer a strong response.” The jailed mayor had ruled Istanbul since 2019, winning in a landslide second vote after politicians aligned to the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, demanded his initial victory be annulled. After winning a re-election once again last year, İmamoğlu is considered the sole candidate capable of beating Erdoğan in elections expected in the coming years. On the same day the Istanbul mayor was imprisoned, 15 million people turned out to vote in a symbolic primary to nominate him as the CHP's candidate for president. İmamoğlu wrote: “Realising he cannot defeat me at the ballot box, Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has resorted to other means: having his main political opponent arrested on charges of corruption, bribery, leading a criminal network and aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' party, even though the charges lack credible evidence.” He added: “My detention marked a new phase in Turkey's slide into authoritarianism and the use of arbitrary power. A country with a long democratic tradition now faces the serious risk of passing the point of no return.”
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Grants Pass was at heart of supreme court ruling allowing cities to ban sleeping outside even if shelters are lacking An Oregon judge issued a preliminary injunction on Friday blocking the city at the heart of a US supreme court ruling on homeless encampments from enforcing its camping rules unless it meets certain conditions, as part of a lawsuit filed by advocates. Under the decision by Josephine county circuit court judge Sarah McGlaughlin, Grants Pass must increase capacity at city-approved sites for camping and ensure they are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Unless those conditions are met, the order bars the city from citing, arresting or fining people for camping on public property; forcing people to leave campsites; removing campsites that are not clearly abandoned; or prohibiting camping in most city parks. The order still lets the city enforce rules banning sleeping on sidewalks and streets or in alleys and doorways. Mayor Clint Scherf told the Associated Press he was “disheartened” by the decision, and Grants Pass information coordinator Mike Zacchino said via email that the city was “reviewing all aspects to ensure we make the best decision for our community”. The lawsuit was filed by Disability Rights Oregon, which accused the city of discriminating against people with disabilities and violating a state law requiring cities' camping regulations to be “objectively reasonable”. Plaintiffs also included five homeless people in Grants Pass. Grants Pass, a small city of about 40,000 along the Rogue River in the mountains of southern Oregon, has struggled for years to address the homelessness crisis and became emblematic of the national debate over how to deal with it. Its parks in particular became a flashpoint, with many of them becoming the site of encampments blighted by drug use and litter. Last June, in a case brought by the city, the supreme court ruled that communities can ban sleeping outside and fine people for doing so, even when there are not enough shelter beds. That overturned a California-based appeals court decision that held that camping bans when shelter space is lacking amounted to cruel and unusual punishment under the constitution's eighth amendment. Officials from across the political spectrum filed briefs in that case saying they were hamstrung in their ability to deal with encampments. After the high court ruling, Grants Pass banned camping on all city property except locations designated by the city council, which established two sites for the town's hundreds of homeless people in a bid to move them from the parks. Upon taking office in January, the new mayor and new council members moved to close the larger of the two sites, which housed roughly 120 tents, according to the complaint. Meanwhile the smaller one saw its hours of operation reduced to between 5pm and 7am, meaning people had to pack up their belongings every morning. The two sites were frequently crowded, with poor conditions and inaccessible to people with disabilities due to loose gravel, according to the complaint. “It is unconscionable to me to allow people to live there like that,” city council member Indra Nicholas said before the vote to close the larger site. After the lawsuit was filed, the city reopened a second, smaller site and extended the time people could stay to four days. McGlaughin's order says the city must increase capacity to what it was previously before the larger site was closed. Tom Stenson, deputy legal director for Disability Rights Oregon, called the ruling a victory. “This is not a radical solution. The court is basically saying, ‘Go back to the amount of space and places for people who are homeless that you had just three months ago,'” he told AP. Homelessness increased 18% last year nationwide, driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and an increase in migrants in some parts.
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Both flights received corrective instructions to avoid possible collision two months after crash killed 67 at same airport A passenger flight preparing to take off near Washington DC and an incoming US military jet received instructions to divert and prevent a possible collision on Friday, officials said. The close call at Ronald Reagan Washington National airport came about two months after a passenger jet and US army helicopter collided near the airport, killing all 67 people onboard both aircraft. The earlier crash – on 29 January – prompted federal investigators to recommend a ban on some helicopter flights in that area. On Friday, Delta Air Lines Flight 2983 was cleared for takeoff at the Reagan airport at about 3.15pm, at the same time four US air force T-38 Talon aircraft were inbound, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. The jets were heading for a flyover of Arlington National Cemetery when the Delta aircraft received an onboard alert of a nearby aircraft. Air traffic controllers “issued corrective instructions to both aircraft”, according to the FAA, which intends to investigate. The Airbus A319 with 131 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants was embarking on a regularly scheduled flight between Reagan and Minneapolis-St Paul international airport, Delta said. The flight left its gate at 2.55pm and was scheduled to arrive at Minneapolis-St. Paul at 4.36pm local time before the flight crew followed the diversion instructions from the controllers, the airline said. Air traffic control audio on the website LiveATC.net captured the pilot on Friday's flight saying at one point: “On that departure … was there an actual aircraft about 500 feet below us as we came off?” As CNN reported, the departure controller replied to the pilot: “Delta 2983, affirmative.” No injuries were reported. The air force's website describes the T-38 Talon as “a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer” used by different departments and agencies, including Nasa, for various roles including pilot training. The Associated Press contributed reporting
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Skygazers are looking up as a partial solar eclipse gets under way "It was a beautiful experience," Tom Pocko from Manchester tells the BBC as he sends us the picture he took Remember, it's dangerous to look straight at the Sun – here's how to watch it safely The astronomical event has now ended in the UK and some areas - Missed it? Watch our video We've also got an explainer for you on what a solar eclipse is – and why it happens Edited by Tinshui Yeung, with Rebecca Morelle reporting from the Royal Observatory Lana LamLive reporter Skywatchers across the UK and beyond were treated to a stunning sight today as a partial solar eclipse dazzled the skies for several hours. From the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to Warwickshire and all the way up to Manchester, people watched as the Moon moved in front of the Sun, stirring up a range of emotions. We even got a great view from Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. While not a rare event, it was a special treat to see it from here in the UK. Some called it “humbling”, others “beautiful” – and one youngster said the sun looked like Pac-Man with a bite taken out of it. If you missed it, you can scroll back through our live coverage. And don't worry – there's another one coming in August 2026. We're closing our live coverage now. Thanks for joining us this nice morning. We're about to wrap up our live coverage for today, but before we go, here are a few more photos of the partial solar eclipse. They show how photographers have been getting creative with this astronomical event. Behind the domed roof of the Greenwich Foot Tunnel north in east London The partial solar eclipse seen from Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal A partial solar eclipse seen behind a traditional Greenlandic home in Nuuk, Greenland This video can not be played Partial solar eclipse seen across the UK and beyond Now that it's past noon, the partial solar eclipse in the UK has come to an end. Here are some of the photos you - our readers - sent in earlier. This picture was taken in Guildford, Surrey, using a smartphone with a pair of solar glasses held in front of the phone camera lens Andrew Clarke took this picture in Poole, Dorset. He says: “I really wanted to share it with my fiancé Abbe as we both love stargazing, but she's on her way to a wedding dress fitting and I'm refurbishing our old boat in Poole. I took this picture for her” “It's always humbling to see any solar or lunar eclipse!” says Tom Hurley, who took this photo from his garden in Exmouth, Devon We've been speaking to some of the viewers who made their way to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to catch the partial solar eclipse. Elizabeth Binney is visiting London from Thailand and headed to Greenwich this morning with a running group. "It's such a buzz, I didn't think this was going to be part of my Saturday morning," she tells the BBC, adding "it'll be one of my memories of my time in London". Priyanka Prasher, originally from Birmingham and now living in London, says it's a lovely atmosphere. "It's bringing good vibes... and it's a nice symbol of saying hello to spring," she says. "My mum is visiting so I thought it would be a really nice experience to mark the occasion with the solar eclipse just before Mother's Day." Priyanka Prasher (right) says the eclipse is a symbol of the start of spring Rebecca MorelleScience editor, reporting from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich I've just been speaking to a couple of astronomers from the Royal Observatory. "It's really exciting because it's something that everyone can see," says Bryony Lanigan, by using eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector. "We always associate the moon with the night, the sun with the day but that's not really the way it works," she says. "Our moon goes around us, we go around the sun - and at times, it all lines up so that one covers the other as it is right now." Fellow astronomer Anna Gammon-Ross says partial eclipses aren't that rare and the UK is in a good position to see this one. As we've said, it's dangerous to look at a partial solar eclipse with the naked eye. But there are plenty of other ways to watch it safely – just like the people below. Rebecca MorelleScience editor, reporting from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich The eclipse is past its peak now, and the shadow of the Moon is now moving to the top of the Sun. The skies became a little hazy at the peak, but the view was still crystal clear through my safety glasses. The crowd at the Royal Observatory Greenwich have loved it – describing it as magical and spectacular. One boy called Jack said the Sun looked a bit like PacMan. A partial solar eclipse seen from Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire The yellow "broken" circle is Pac-Man, a character from the classic 1980 maze video game of the same name Many people across the UK are seizing the chance to snap photos of the partial solar eclipse. That includes Tom Pocko, who took this picture in Didsbury, south Manchester, using a 400mm lens with two ND (neutral density) filters. “It was a beautiful experience. I feel very lucky to have seen it and been able to capture such a rare natural phenomenon. Especially in good weather conditions for Manchester (which is unusual),” he tells the BBC. Here's a photo of the partial solar eclipse taken just before the FA Cup quarter-final between Fulham and Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage in London. Rebecca MorelleScience editor, reporting from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich It's just a spectacular sight, seeing the sun appearing as a crescent and the moon taking a little nibble out of the side. We've had really good weather here this morning. It's hazed over very slightly in the last few minutes but it's still a lovely view to see. The views are differing across the UK - in the Outer Hebrides it's about 47% and in the southeast, it goes down to 28%. We've just heard from Chris Lintott, a professor of astrophysics at Oxford University, who's watching the partial eclipse in Oxford using special glasses. (Remember, it's not safe to look at the eclipse with the naked eye.) "We can see probably about 25 to 30% of the sun's disc is now covered by the moon, which is making a slow and stately progress across the face," he says. "This is just fun... I think there's something nice about seeing the machinery of the solar system unfold. "About 40 per cent of the sun will be covered in about 15 minutes or so." Lintott says partial solar eclipses happen a "few times a year", so they're not rare – and there's a good one next August for most of Europe. Here's an image of the partial solar eclipse seen from Warwickshire earlier. The "bite mark" in the Sun made by the Moon is bigger now as the eclipse reaches its peak. We'll bring you more pictures soon. Sabitha PrasherBBC Weather, reporting from the Royal Observatory We're approaching the peak of the partial solar eclipse and, if you're looking through solar glasses, it looks as though a chunk of the sun has been bitten off. There are lots of people here watching the eclipse through telescopes and pinhole cameras, and there's a great atmosphere with plenty of excitement in the crowd. Emma CalderLive reporter Cloud cover isn't stopping local astronomers from heading out. At the top of London's Primrose Hill, a small crowd has gathered, chatting excitedly as they gaze up at the sky. There's a bit of a cloudy haze right now, but spirits are high and people are getting ready for the peak. Madeleine (R) tells me she's tried to see eclipses before but never had the glasses – so this time she made sure to come prepared Maryam MoshiriChief Presenter, BBC News I'm here in Nuuk, Greenland, and the view of the partial eclipse is stunning. The moon has almost completely covered the sun, and you can see that gorgeous crescent shape through the clouds. Rebecca MorelleScience editor The partial eclipse has begun – you can see the Moon taking a tiny nibble from the top right-hand edge of the Sun. At the Royal Observatory Greenwich, there were plenty of oohs and aahs as people put on their safety glasses to watch the spectacle. Here's the first image we've got of the partial solar eclipse in Dakar, Senegal. Rebecca MorelleScience editor We're at the Royal Observatory Greenwich this morning - it's a gorgeous sunny day here - and we're poised with our safety glasses and special tracking camera with solar filters so we can watch the eclipse as it happens. At the ready for the celestial spectacle. It's 10:07 GMT and the partial solar eclipse has begun. You might not be able to see much of a difference on the live feed just yet, but we'll bring you images of the event as soon as we get them. And just a reminder – you can also watch our live stream by clicking Watch live above. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
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The high-stakes race will determine which party will control a court that will rule on abortion and voting rights A race to determine control of the Wisconsin supreme court that has profound stakes for voting, abortion and labor rights in the state, is also shaping up to be a litmus test of Elon Musk's political power, making it one of the most consequential elections of Donald Trump's second term. Liberals currently hold a 4-3 majority on the state supreme court, but the liberal justice Ann Walsh Bradley is retiring. Susan Crawford, a liberal judge, is facing off on Tuesday against the conservative judge Brad Schimel for the seat. The winner will determine which party has control of a court that is set to rule on the future of the state's 1849 abortion ban, collective bargaining rights and the makeup of the state's six congressional districts. The election has become the most expensive judicial election in American history, with more than $80m spent on both sides so far. Musk began spending in the race earlier this year, shortly after Tesla filed a lawsuit challenging a Wisconsin law that blocks the company from opening car dealerships in the state. The billionaire's Super Pac is offering $100 to those who sign a petition in opposition to “activist judges”. So far, Musk and groups he funds have spent more than $20m in the race. On Friday, he posted on Twitter/X and said he would campaign in Wisconsin this weekend and give away $1m as part of a sweepstakes-like contest to people who had voted. He later deleted the post after experts pointed out such a program could be illegal under state law. He posted a revised tweet saying he would distribute the money to people to act as spokespeople for the petition. The Wisconsin attorney general, Josh Kaul, a Democrat, also sued Musk and his Pac on Friday to stop the giveaway. “This is kind of a test case for Elon Musk,” Crawford, a former prosecutor, said in an interview. “He wants to make sure that nothing stands in the way of what he's doing to try to dismantle the federal government.” Schimel's campaign did not respond to an interview request. Musk's entrance in the race comes as he has railed against federal judges who have threatened to halt Trump's agenda, calling for the impeachment of some and backing Republicans who have heeded the call. So much money being spent in a state supreme court election would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. Wisconsin supreme court justices are elected to 10 year terms, and until recently the candidates had low profiles and few paid attention to the races. In a 2020 state supreme court race, both candidates spent a combined $10m. But in recent years, awareness has grown of the powerful role state supreme courts can play in defining major issues, bringing more money and hard-nosed politics to these races. In North Carolina, a Republican candidate is seeking to overturn a supreme court election he lost to a Democratic candidate by 734 votes. “What we've really seen in recent years is just how important state courts are in determining election law and how elections are run,” said Bryna Godar, a staff attorney at the state democracy research initiative at the University of Wisconsin law school. She noted that Trump carried the state by just 30,000 votes in 2024 and Biden by even less in 2020. “Really what we're seeing is state courts are playing a huge role not just in determining issues for the state, but in determining rules for elections that can have impacts at a national level when you're looking at a swing state like Wisconsin,” she added. Schimel, a former Republican state attorney general, has made no secret that there would be little daylight between him and Trump, praising the president and talking about the need for a “support network” for him. He has also posed with a large inflatable Trump and said the justices “screwed [Trump] over” by keeping a Green party candidate off the ballot in 2020 (Trump narrowly lost the state to Joe Biden that year). He has also called one of the female justices on the state supreme court “dumb as a sack of hammers” and another female justice “crazy”. Trump endorsed Schimel on 21 March. State Democrats have made the race a referendum on Musk, putting up “people v Musk” billboards across the state and holding town halls. When the party tested messaging, it showed ads highlighting Musk's connections to Schimel to “motivate Democrats who otherwise want to tune out politics entirely to come out, cast a ballot, and recruit their friends”, said Ben Wikler, chairman of the state Democratic party. “If Brad Schimel loses this race and Susan Crawford wins, it'll become clear to Democrats that they can fight back against Musk and win,” said Wikler. “And it'll be clear to Republicans that Musk may not be able to save their bacon if they keep going along with his attacks on our country. That could have a profound impact on the whole arc of American politics in this era.” The race has energized Democrats. “Back in November and December, I think a lot of people I was talking to were pretty discouraged by some of the results that they saw in the November election after having put a lot of time and energy into some of those campaigns,” Crawford said. “That has dramatically changed in the last couple of months as the administration has taken a lot of actions in a hurry that have made people really worried and concerned about the direction our country is heading.” In the weeks after Musk got involved in race, Wikler said, he saw Democrats “get up off the mat and lean into the fightback”. Even before Musk's involvement, the high stakes of the race were clear. The court heard oral arguments in a case challenging the state's 1849 abortion ban last year and is set to consider another one dealing with whether the state constitution protects the right to an abortion. In 2020, the state supreme court narrowly voted 4-3 to turn away a Trump lawsuit challenging his loss in the state and seeking to overturn the results. In 2023, Democrats won a major victory when the liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz won a seat on the court and flipped its ideological balance. Last year, the new state supreme court struck down state legislative maps, getting rid of Republican districts that were so distorted they gave Democrats no chance of ever winning a majority. Republicans went from having a near two-thirds supermajority to a slim majority in the statehouse. The next court could hear a challenge to Wisconsin's congressional maps, in which Republicans hold six of eight seats. That balance is also considered severely askew in favor of Republicans and could ultimately help determine control of the US House, where Republicans hold a majority of just a few seats. The spending in the race has shattered the more than $50m spent in the 2023 race. Musk has spent more than $18m through America Pac and Building America's future. The Republican mega-donor Richard Uihlein has gotten somewhat less attention, but Uihlein-aligned groups have spent at least $5.3m in favor of Schimel, funneling it through various entities, according to campaign finance records. Lynde Uihlein, a cousin of Richard Uihlein has also been a major donor to the group A Better Wisconsin Together, which has spent more than $6m in the race supporting Crawford. The family members were also on separate sides of the 2023 state supreme court race. Robert Yablon, a law professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, noted that the huge spending in the race was only possible because of the state's loose campaign finance laws. People in Wisconsin can donate unlimited amounts to state parties, which can pass that money on to candidates. There are also very weak anti-coordination laws between independent expenditure groups and campaigns. The race, Yablon said, was a “test for judicial independence”. If Musk succeeds in winning and ultimately gets rulings favorable to him, it could undermine that perception. “You would hope that in a judicial race, you might have different candidates – maybe they have different ideologies or philosophies, different ways that they talk about the law, but it's shared ground that they believe that the judiciary ought to operate independently from other branches, ought to check those branches,” he said. The turnout in Tuesday's election is expected to be much lower than the turnout in the November presidential election, making it difficult to make firm conclusions about the voter reaction to Trump so far. But there still may be signals to take away from Tuesday's contest. “If there is a strong win for Crawford, it will at least be evidence of the energy of liberals and the extent to which opposition to the Trump administration, to Elon Musk, has been effectively activated,” Yablon said. If Schimel wins, he said it “will probably be quite disheartening for liberals, for the Democratic party that's invested so much in this race, and they may then really have to go back to the drawing board”.
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Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. The White House called the service, which has existed since 1942, 'The Voice of Radical America' and said Trump's order would 'ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.' A federal judge has halted the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the US international broadcaster Voice of America, calling the move a "classic case of arbitrary and capricious decision making." Judge James Paul Oetken blocked the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which runs Voice of America, from firing more than 1,200 journalists, engineers and other staff that it sidelined two weeks ago in the wake of President Donald Trump ordering its funding slashed. Oetken issued a temporary restraining order barring the agency from "any further attempt to terminate, reduce-in-force, place on leave, or furlough" employees or contractors, and from closing any offices or requiring overseas employees to return to the US. The order also bars the USAGM from terminating grant funding for its other broadcast outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Afghanistan. The agency said on Thursday it was restoring Radio Free Europe's funding after a judge in Washington DC ordered it to do so. "This is a decisive victory for press freedom and the First Amendment, and a sharp rebuke" to the Trump administration's "utter disregard for the principles that define our democracy," said the plaintiffs' lawyer, Andrew G. Celli Jr. At a hearing Friday in Manhattan on Friday, Oetken faulted the Trump administration for "taking a sledgehammer to an agency that has been statutorily authorised and funded by Congress." The judge criticised the agency's leadership, including special adviser Kari Lake, for pulling the plug "seemingly overnight" on the US government's global, soft-power platform with "no consideration of the effects." Oetken ruled after a coalition of Voice of America journalists, labour unions and the nonprofit journalism advocacy group Reporters Without Borders sued the Trump administration last week to block the cuts. Ultimately, they seek to have VOA return to the air. The plaintiffs argued the shutdown violated a court's finding during Trump's first term that VOA journalists have a free-speech firewall protecting them from White House interference. Their absence from the airwaves has left a vacuum that's being filled by "propagandists whose messages will monopolise global airwaves," the complainants said. Trump and other Republicans have accused Voice of America of a "leftist bias" and failing to project "pro-American" values to its worldwide audience, even though it is mandated by congress to serve as a non-partisan news organisation. Voice of America went off the air soon after Trump issued an executive order on 14 March that pared funding to the USAGM and six other unrelated federal entities, part of his campaign to shrink government and align its with his political agenda. The White House called the service, which has existed since 1942, "The Voice of Radical America" and said Trump's order would "ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda." It cited coverage it claimed was "too favourable" to former President Joe Biden, as well as stories about white privilege, racial profiling and transgender migrants seeking asylum. Congress has appropriated nearly $860 million (€794 million) for the USAGM for the current fiscal year.
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New College of Florida fired Kevin Wang, a professor who sought asylum and is authorized to work in the US The New College of Florida has fired a Chinese language professor under a state law that restricts Florida's public universities from hiring individuals they deem to be from “countries of concern”. On Friday, Suncoast Searchlight reported the firing of Kevin Wang, a professor who has sought asylum in the US and is authorized to work in the country. According to the outlet, Wang had been teaching classes in Chinese language and culture for nearly two years when he was fired on 12 March. According to his dismissal letter, which Suncoast Searchlight reviewed, the New College of Florida's decision to terminate Wang's contract was “not based on any misconduct and does not constitute a dismissal for cause or disciplinary action”. Instead, the college cited state law SB 846 which states that schools “may not accept any grant from or participate in any agreement with any college or university based in a foreign country of concern” without the approval from the board of governors, Suncoast Searchlight reports. According to the law, the so-called “countries of concern” include China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria. The law, which went into effect in July 2023, also prevents state universities from entering into partnerships with “any person who is domiciled in a foreign country of concern and is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States”. Suncoast Searchlight reports that Wang, who was hired by the New College of Florida three weeks after the state law went into effect, said that before he came to the US in May 2022, he was a university professor in China. “I faced political repression from the Chinese Communist Party for criticizing Xi Jinping and the CCP's domestic and foreign policies, resulting in the loss of my teaching position and my freedom to teach, research, and express myself in China,” Wang told the outlet. “I never expected to face such a distressing experience after escaping persecution from the CCP in China, only to encounter a somewhat similar situation at New College in the United States,” he added. According to Wang, he is preparing to leave Florida but will remain in the US as he continues his pursuit of his asylum bid. “As an adjunct, I do not have much time or energy to delve deeply into this matter …but I truly hope that such interference undermining academic freedom will not occur again in a place that claims to be a ‘beacon of democracy',” Wang told Suncoast Searchlight. As part of Florida's Republican governor Ron DeSantis's culture wars against “wokeness” across various institutions including universities, the New College of Florida – a historically liberal arts school – has in recent months hired ideologically aligned rightwing faculty and staff for various positions. In November, the university reinstated a course on “wokeness” taught by Andrew Doyle, a British comedian and historian whose course described “wokeness” as a “kind of cult” with “disciples … [who] have insinuated themselves into all of our major institutions”. Meanwhile, last September, the college hosted Steve Sailer, who has been described as a “white supremacist”, at a public event on how “periods of heightened activism correlated with increased crime rates”.
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Robert F Kennedy, Trump's health secretary, said he will be laying off nearly 20,000 workers, imperiling crucial services Massive job cuts planned for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will pave the way for takeover of crucial services by the private sector, imperiling the US in future health emergencies, health experts and Democratic politicians warn. Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced the department would layoff 20,000 workers from its roughly 82,000-person workforce on Thursday, or nearly a quarter of the department's headcount. “People out there need to understand the impact on them personally,” said Patty Murray, a senator for Washington state and the party's ranking member of the Senate appropriations committee. “Preventing pandemics costs something. Failing to prevent them costs a lot more. All of this is making us less prepared for the next public health emergency.” HHS is an enormous branch of the federal government, overseeing a $1.7tn budget. The department includes agencies that are household names – among them the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Those branches respectively protect Americans from outbreaks, helm the world's largest publicly funded biomedical and behavioral research agency, provide health insurance to 137 million older and low-income Americans through Medicare and Medicaid, and approve and regulate the nation's medical devices, drugs and foods. All would see cuts in Kennedy's proposed reorganization, in some cases compounding layoffs initiated by the unofficial “department of government efficiency” helmed by billionaire Trump-ally Elon Musk. At a virtual news conference on Friday, also attended by former leaders of some of the same agencies set to be slashed, Murray said the projected job cuts put the US on “a dangerous collision course” and would seriously impair its ability to public health crises such as measles and bird flu epidemics. Murray warned that the mass layoffs are intended to pave the way for hiving off critical services to private companies. She claimed that Donald Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk, who is spearheading the cull of federal workers through his ad hoc “department of government efficiency,” were oblivious to the consequences because they believed, mistakenly, that public health responsibilities could be privatized. “One of the goals that I'm beginning to hear from the Trump administration and Elon Musk, is that government that doesn't need to do any of this, we will just privatize it all,” Murray said. “I will tell you, our public health folks who go out and track measles or track whooping cough or track a new pandemic aren't going to work for a private company. “There won't be a private company because their whole goal is to make a profit. There isn't a profit-making course in this,” she said. On Thursday Democratic US senators said they were inundated with “panicked” calls from federal workers from nearly the moment the announcement was made, because so few details were given about which branches or agencies would be cut. Kennedy said 28 department branches would be consolidated into 15, with a focus on eliminating positions such as human resources and IT. She said the mission of public health workers was “making sure that you have the information you need if there is a huge flu epidemic in your region, whether or not you know your kids are safe or what you need to do to protect them. “There isn't a private company that's going to come in and do that. That is why we have what is called a government agency, for the good of the people. It is not going to be replaced by some profit making-corporation.” Her comments were supported by Robert Califf, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, who said privatization would exacerbate the US's health inequalities. “A lot of these things being privatized will only radically increase the huge disparities that we already have,” he said. “I've worked in all sectors, and your job in a company is to pay attention to the bottom line and make a profit, and that's best done in this country right now by catering to people who have lots of money … it's a good way to not make America health again.” Trump and Kennedy have adopted the slogan “make America healthy again” to define their mission to re-orient the country's approach to public health, but many experts and professionals say it threatens to achieve the opposite. Kennedy has insisted the job cuts would not affect “frontline workers” and would make agencies more efficient. However, few details have been provided about specific programs that will be impacted, beyond piecemeal announcements. At least one Republican senator who eyed Kennedy critically during confirmation hearings, senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana who is also a doctor, appeared to toe the line on the cuts. In a social media post he said: “I am interested in HHS working better, such as life-saving drug approval more rapidly, and Medicare service improved. I look forward to hearing how this reorganization furthers these goals.” Outside of government, the cuts have been met with waves of skepticism across the health sector, both on the record and anonymously in news reports. “Any reduction in our public health infrastructure – whether it's workers or funding – only serves to make Americans sicker,” Dr Chris Pernell, director of the NAACP's Center for Health Equity, said in a statement, arguing it would worsen already vast health disparities between white and Black Americans. “And we know that when America gets a cold, Black people get the flu.
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US President Donald Trump's billionaire ally Elon Musk has signalled that he is planning to step down from his cost-cutting role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by the end of May after reducing the US deficit by $1 trillion, slimming current total federal spending levels down to about $6 trillion. Fifty-three-year-old Tesla chief and several top aides at DOGE sat down for Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier", where they talked about their work to improve America's balance sheets and how they were reaching closer to their goal, which would halve the annual federal deficit. Mr Musk, who was appointed as a special advisor to President Trump as he spearheaded the government's cost-cutting efforts, said "he's done". He said his team was averaging "$4 billion a day" and had accomplished "most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within 130 days". "I think we will accomplish most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within [130 days]," Mr Musk told Baier when asked about how quickly he expected to achieve his cost-cutting target. "Our goal is to reduce the waste and fraud by $4 billion a day, every day, seven days a week. And so far, we are succeeding...Unless this exercise is successful, the ship of America will sink," he added. That could mean that Mr Musk's work of spearheading the DOGE operation could finish as soon as the end of May. The DOGE chief and his seven team members- Aram Moghaddassi, Steve Davis, Brad Smith, Anthony Armstrong, Joe Gebbia, Tom Krause, and Tyler Hassen- further detailed their efforts to slash waste, fraud, and abuse in various government agencies. "The government is not efficient, and there is a lot of waste and fraud, so we feel confident that a 15 per cent reduction can be done without affecting any of the critical government services," Mr Musk said. As per DOGE estimates, the department's efforts, including workforce reductions, asset sales and contract cancellations, have saved US taxpayers $115 billion as of March 24. "America will be solvent," Mr Musk declared. "The critical programs that people depend upon will work, and it's going to be a fantastic future. And are we going to get a lot of complaints along the way? Absolutely." Elon Musk's remarks about stepping down from the DOGE role came amid nationwide protests against his electric vehicle company, Tesla. In the last month, Tesla's share price witnessed a steep decline and fell by over 5 per cent last Monday. Speaking to staff in Austin last Thursday, Mr Musk admitted: "I'm stretched pretty thin. I have like 17 jobs." Talking about attacks and vandalism targeting his company, he noted that it sometimes 'feels like Armageddon' when he watches coverage of them on TV. "There are times when there are rocky moments, a little bit of stormy weather...But what I'm here to tell you is that the future is incredibly bright and exciting, and we're going to do things that no one, I think, has even dreamed of," he told employees.Mr Musk is also facing numerous lawsuits that claim DOGE acted without legal authority and violated privacy laws. So far, he has defended his work at DIGE and pushed back on mounting criticism of the massive disruption caused by the department's work.
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A powerful earthquake has killed more than 1,000 people in war-torn Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand and caused widespread damage. Here is what we know about relief efforts: China China sent an 82-person team of rescuers to Myanmar on Saturday, Beijing's emergency management ministry said. A separate rescue team from China's Yunnan province arrived in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon on Saturday, CCTV reported. The Chinese government will also provide Myanmar with 100 million yuan ($13.8 million) in emergency humanitarian assistance, with shipments to begin Monday, its international aid agency said Saturday. Hong Kong Hong Kong dispatched a 51-person team to Myanmar on Saturday, along with two search and rescue dogs and nine tonnes of equipment, including life detectors, the government said. India An Indian aid flight landed in Myanmar on Saturday. Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said a C-130 military transport plane had been dispatched carrying hygiene kits, blankets, food parcels and other essentials. "A search and rescue team and medical team is also accompanying this flight," he added. "We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow." WHO The World Health Organization said it was mobilising its logistics hub in Dubai to prepare trauma injury supplies and had triggered its emergency management response. The global health body was coordinating its earthquake response from its Geneva headquarters "because we see this as a huge event" with "clearly a very, very big threat to life and health", spokesperson Margaret Harris told a media briefing. United States US President Donald Trump on Friday vowed Washington would assist Myanmar, describing the quake as "terrible". "It's a real bad one, and we will be helping. We've already spoken with the country," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. EU The European Union said it was providing 2.5 million euros ($2.7 million) in initial emergency aid and assessing the needs on the ground in order to mobilise further assistance from the bloc. "The EU stands in solidarity with people in Myanmar and the broader region enduring the aftermath of this powerful earthquake. As in previous disasters, the EU stands ready to help those most in need," said EU crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib. Malaysia Malaysia's foreign ministry said it would also send a team to Myanmar. The deployment would consist of one commander and 49 rescue personnel "to support ongoing humanitarian and disaster relief operations". Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the regional bloc ASEAN, of which Myanmar and Thailand are members, "stands ready to assist" both countries. South Korea South Korea's foreign ministry said it would send $2 million in humanitarian assistance "to support urgent rescue and relief efforts" after the earthquake. "The Korean government hopes that this support will help save lives and alleviate suffering in the affected areas," the ministry said in a statement. Seoul said it could send additional assistance if the situation worsened. New Zealand New Zealand said it would give NZ$2.0 million ($1.1 million) to the International Red Cross for the emergency response. "Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones," Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Reporters Without Borders condemned the arrest and criticised what they call the erosion in press freedom in Turkey. Swedish journalist Joakim Medin has been arrested in Turkey on charges of "membership of an armed terrorist organisation" and "insulting the president." Andreas Gustavsson, editor-in-chief of Dagens ETC newspaper, said that Medin, who was in Turkey to cover the ongoing protests against the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, had not been heard from for two days. Erik Larsson, head of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Sweden, said in a statement following Medin's arrest: "Targeting journalists in this way is unfortunately nothing new in Turkey. However, in recent years (the government's) tactics have changed and journalists are being silenced through legislation and internet censorship." Medin's arrest comes at a time of an intensifying debate about press freedom in Turkey. Mark Lowen, a correspondent for the UK-based public broadcaster BBC, was deported on Thursday. The BBC confirmed that Lowen, who was detained on 26 March, was deported on the morning of 27 March. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya had earlier announced that 1,418 people had been detained since 19 March, the day Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained. Many journalists were among those detained. Seven of the journalists arrested earlier in the week had been released by Thursday but still face charges. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) announced on Thursday that Yasin Akgül, Kurtuluş Arı, Kurtuluş Arı, Gökhan Kam, Ali Onur Tosun Bülent Kılıç, Hayri Tunç and Zeynep Kuray, who were covering the protests in Saraçhane, were released following objections.
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The 7.7 quake in Myanmar hit an isolated nation already reeling from civil war. Across the border in Thailand, dozens were trapped under a collapsed building. A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, killing at least 838 people, and 694 in the Mandalay region alone, according to the country's military junta, with deadly tremors felt hundreds of miles away in Thailand. The epicenter of the lunchtime quake was about 11 miles from Mandalay, Myanmar's second-most-populous city, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and multiple aftershocks were reported. Images and videos shared by residents of the centrally located city showed a collapsed bridge, cracked roads and flattened buildings. In a televised address, Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar's military, said there had been 96 deaths in the capital, Naypyidaw, and 48 in nearby regions. Myanmar's military junta said Saturday that at least 1,670 people were injured and 68 missing in the Mandalay region. The death toll, which increased by nearly 700 from the previous update, could not be independently verified and was likely to rise. There were fears that the impact could be far worse. An automated model from the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a 36 percent chance that the number of deaths would exceed 100,000, with potential economic losses of tens of billions of dollars. The military has faced an intense civil war since forcibly seizing power four years ago and does not have full control over the areas affected by the quake. After declaring a state of emergency in six regions, including Naypyidaw and Mandalay, the isolated junta issued a rare appeal for international assistance. “I would like to extend an open invitation to any organizations and nations willing to come and help the people in need within our country,” said Min Aung Hlaing, who has been accused of war crimes. The National Unity Government, a parallel administration formed by pro-democracy leaders in Myanmar, said in a statement that the quake had caused “extensive damage” and also called for international support. President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that he was aware of the requests from Myanmar's military junta for international aid and that the U.S. government was already working on it. “We're going to be helping. I've already alerted the people,” Trump said when asked about the request. “It's terrible what's happened. We've already spoken with the country.” The 1,000 beds at Myanmar's largest medical facility, Mandalay General Hospital, were full by Friday afternoon, witnesses said, and teams were setting up emergency clinics to deal with the overflow. Su Yin Htun, 45, who has family in Mandalay, said bridges, condominiums and hotels were damaged, with fires reported across the city. Flights were suspended from Mandalay International Airport, which was shut down after the quake, said Su. Hnin, 25, a Mandalay resident who gave only one name out of fear of retaliation, said over the phone that a friend who was a patient at Kyal Sin Lin Hospital was evacuated when cracks began to form on the hospital walls. “People are scared to go back inside their houses,” she said. Her cousin was riding a motorcycle when the quake hit and was killed after slipping in front of a truck, Hnin said. “This powerful quake struck a country already in crisis, with 19.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance,” Arif Noor, Myanmar country director for the international aid group CARE, said in a statement Friday. (The country has a population of about 54 million.) Tremors from the quake were felt in Yunnan, a Chinese province that borders Myanmar, and in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, more than 600 miles away. Authorities in Bangkok said a 30-story building that was under construction collapsed during the earthquake, killing at least three people and leaving 80 trapped. Most of the construction workers were migrants from Myanmar, according to survivors. Aung Thiha, a 24-year-old worker from Myanmar, said that when the building began to shake, he felt dizzy but thought it was from lack of sleep. “Gradually, I noticed dust and sand started to fall from the ceiling,” he recounted. As a construction crane fell and struck the center of the building, he ran outside, watching in horror as each floor was split in half. The entire structure was flattened within a minute, he said. Aung Thiha, wearing a yellow hard hat and blue uniform, said the scores still missing include his brother and brother-in-law, who he feared were stuck beneath the rubble. His brother and his wife are expecting a child soon. Rescue efforts were underway at the scene, but there were few updates by late Friday. “I feel really, really bad,” Aung Thiha said. Though cracks were reported in other structures, there were no other collapses, Bangkok's governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, told The Washington Post. “Bangkok has seen nothing like this in 100 years,” said Phumtham Wechayachai, Thailand's deputy prime minister. Authorities in Bangkok suspended school and ordered businesses and tenants in high-rises near the affected area to evacuate. By late Friday, residents were told they could return to their homes. In Myanmar, already in the grip of multiple humanitarian crises, the destruction was far more widespread and the rescue efforts far more difficult. The country has been embroiled in a civil war since 2021, when the military ousted a democratically elected government and forcibly crushed peaceful protests, sparking an armed resistance. The public health system has collapsed in some parts of the country because government doctors and nurses have refused to worked for the junta, in some instances decamping for rebel-controlled territories along the Thai border. Aid distribution has been significantly impaired by the fighting and the military's restrictions on movement. The country's northwest has, for years, been virtually inaccessible to international aid agencies, watchdog groups and journalists. In a recent report, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Mandalay and its surrounding regions have become “the epicenter of internal displacement,” hosting more than a million people forced from their homes. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Friday that downed power lines and network outages were making it difficult to assess the scale of the tragedy. “This disaster has only worsened an already fragile situation,” said Noor, adding that “CARE and our partners are urgently assessing the damage and preparing to support affected communities.” Yan Naing Aung, Adam Taylor, Kasha Patel and Kelsey Ables contributed to this report.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said that a temporary rate limits on image generation will be introduced as their GPU -- graphics processing units -- are "melting". This came after OpenAI's latest and most advanced AI model, GPT-4o, which comes with an integrated image generator, brought about a revolution of sorts on social media, with millions using it to produce Studio Ghibli-inspired pictures. OpenAI called its latest model the "most advanced image generator yet," but the massive usage has left the company's GPUs "melting," Mr Altman noted on X. "It's super fun seeing people love images in chatgpt. But our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. Hopefully won't be long! Chatgpt free tier will get 3 generations per day soon," Mr Altman said. it's super fun seeing people love images in chatgpt.but our GPUs are melting.we are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. hopefully won't be long!chatgpt free tier will get 3 generations per day soon. In a subsequent post, he said the company was "refusing some generations that should be allowed," adding that the same was being fixed "as fast we can." The rate limits were not specified by Mr Altman but he assured users that this "hopefully" won't stay for a long time since the company is trying to improve its efficiency to handle the requests. The image-generation feature remains available exclusively for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, and Select subscription tiers. The massive demand already forced the company to roll back its availability of the built-in image generator for its free users, The Verge reported. The free users now get up to three images on a daily basis. Speaking about the GPT-4o model, OpenAI earlier said the multimodal model was "capable of precise, accurate, photorealistic outputs." Introducing GPT-4o image generation, the company said it "excels at accurately rendering text, precisely following prompts, and leveraging 4o's inherent knowledge base and chat context-including transforming uploaded images or using them as visual inspiration." The feature allows users to create "exactly the image you envision" to communicate more effectively.
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Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Katarina Barley, Vice President of the European Parliament, was among the delegation that visited the jailed politician in Istanbul's Silivri prison. A delegation from the European Union, including Vice-President of the European Parliament Katarina Barley, has visited jailed Istanbul Mayor and Republican People's Party (CHP) presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is being held in Istanbul's Marmara Prison. İmamoğlu was arrested on 19 March on charges of corruption and links to a terrorist organisation and jailed days later. The Istanbul mayor is a key political challenger to Erdoğan's 22-year rule and many see his detention as politically motivated, although the government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference. Party of European Socialists (PES) President Stefan Löfven, Vice President of the European Parliament Katarina Barley and MEPs Dario Nardella and Evin İncir issued a statement following the visit. "The PES is in Istanbul to stand with the Turkish democratic opposition in their call to (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan to stop the arrests and to free political prisoners," the statement read. After the visit, a post was also shared on İmamoğlu's X account. "Their visit at this critical moment reflects a clear and principled commitment to democratic norms, judicial independence and the protection of fundamental rights. This visit also represents growing international concern regarding the current trajectory of democratic institutions in Türkiye. It reaffirms that the suppression of political participation through judicial means is incompatible with the values shared by democratic societies," the post said. Afterwards, the delegation visited the CHP's provincial headquarters and met with party chairman, Özgür Özel. İmamoğlu was formally arrested and jailed on 23 March as part of the investigation into alleged corruption. The same day, the CHP officially nominated him as their candidate for the presidential election with 15 million votes, due to take place some time in 2028. İmamoğlu was then suspended from his post as mayor by the Interior Ministry, with the CHP naming Nuri Aslam as interim mayor. İmamoğlu's arrest has sparked mass protests in major cities across Turkey, the biggest wave of social unrest in more than a decade. Police have responded to the protests with pepper spray, tear gas and water cannons. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that nearly 1,900 people have been arrested since 19 March.
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Hamas has executed individuals it deemed guilty of espionage in areas of the Gaza Strip where officials of the terror group have been targeted, sources within Hamas told Saudi-owned news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday. According to the report, the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the terror group had set up "revolutionary courts" to judge suspects. Those “who were proven to be guilty of espionage have already been executed, while investigations are still ongoing with others,” a source reportedly said. Since the resumption of fighting on March 18, the IDF has killed 150 terrorists, including 10 top Hamas officials, in widespread strikes on the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Among those confirmed killed in an IDF strike were Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qano; Issam al-Da'alis, who has served as Hamas's political Gazan prime minister; Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the director-general of Hamas's Interior Ministry and related terror forces; Bahjat Abu Sultan, operational chief of Hamas's internal security apparatus; and Hamas justice minister Ahmed Omar al-Hatta. Advertisement Hamas terrorists in the central Gaza Strip. February 22, 2025. (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)Intelligence efforts during ceasefire According to the report, a source within the terror group noted the impact of the targeted killings: "At the political, military, and governmental levels, and since the escalation of attacks, more stringent security measures have been implemented."In addition, sources claimed, "Israel intensified its intelligence efforts during the ceasefire" by various technological means, such as tracking and eavesdropping on individuals. Furthermore, Hamas's propaganda parades of the hostages during their release in the framework of the hostage-ceasefire deal allowed Israel to track and monitor officials, the sources added. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. According to the report, the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the terror group had set up "revolutionary courts" to judge suspects. Those “who were proven to be guilty of espionage have already been executed, while investigations are still ongoing with others,” a source reportedly said. Since the resumption of fighting on March 18, the IDF has killed 150 terrorists, including 10 top Hamas officials, in widespread strikes on the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Among those confirmed killed in an IDF strike were Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qano; Issam al-Da'alis, who has served as Hamas's political Gazan prime minister; Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the director-general of Hamas's Interior Ministry and related terror forces; Bahjat Abu Sultan, operational chief of Hamas's internal security apparatus; and Hamas justice minister Ahmed Omar al-Hatta. Advertisement Hamas terrorists in the central Gaza Strip. February 22, 2025. (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)Intelligence efforts during ceasefire According to the report, a source within the terror group noted the impact of the targeted killings: "At the political, military, and governmental levels, and since the escalation of attacks, more stringent security measures have been implemented."In addition, sources claimed, "Israel intensified its intelligence efforts during the ceasefire" by various technological means, such as tracking and eavesdropping on individuals. Furthermore, Hamas's propaganda parades of the hostages during their release in the framework of the hostage-ceasefire deal allowed Israel to track and monitor officials, the sources added. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. Since the resumption of fighting on March 18, the IDF has killed 150 terrorists, including 10 top Hamas officials, in widespread strikes on the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Among those confirmed killed in an IDF strike were Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qano; Issam al-Da'alis, who has served as Hamas's political Gazan prime minister; Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the director-general of Hamas's Interior Ministry and related terror forces; Bahjat Abu Sultan, operational chief of Hamas's internal security apparatus; and Hamas justice minister Ahmed Omar al-Hatta. Advertisement Hamas terrorists in the central Gaza Strip. February 22, 2025. (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)Intelligence efforts during ceasefire According to the report, a source within the terror group noted the impact of the targeted killings: "At the political, military, and governmental levels, and since the escalation of attacks, more stringent security measures have been implemented."In addition, sources claimed, "Israel intensified its intelligence efforts during the ceasefire" by various technological means, such as tracking and eavesdropping on individuals. Furthermore, Hamas's propaganda parades of the hostages during their release in the framework of the hostage-ceasefire deal allowed Israel to track and monitor officials, the sources added. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. Among those confirmed killed in an IDF strike were Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qano; Issam al-Da'alis, who has served as Hamas's political Gazan prime minister; Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the director-general of Hamas's Interior Ministry and related terror forces; Bahjat Abu Sultan, operational chief of Hamas's internal security apparatus; and Hamas justice minister Ahmed Omar al-Hatta. Advertisement Hamas terrorists in the central Gaza Strip. February 22, 2025. (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)Intelligence efforts during ceasefire According to the report, a source within the terror group noted the impact of the targeted killings: "At the political, military, and governmental levels, and since the escalation of attacks, more stringent security measures have been implemented."In addition, sources claimed, "Israel intensified its intelligence efforts during the ceasefire" by various technological means, such as tracking and eavesdropping on individuals. Furthermore, Hamas's propaganda parades of the hostages during their release in the framework of the hostage-ceasefire deal allowed Israel to track and monitor officials, the sources added. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. According to the report, a source within the terror group noted the impact of the targeted killings: "At the political, military, and governmental levels, and since the escalation of attacks, more stringent security measures have been implemented."In addition, sources claimed, "Israel intensified its intelligence efforts during the ceasefire" by various technological means, such as tracking and eavesdropping on individuals. Furthermore, Hamas's propaganda parades of the hostages during their release in the framework of the hostage-ceasefire deal allowed Israel to track and monitor officials, the sources added. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. In addition, sources claimed, "Israel intensified its intelligence efforts during the ceasefire" by various technological means, such as tracking and eavesdropping on individuals. Furthermore, Hamas's propaganda parades of the hostages during their release in the framework of the hostage-ceasefire deal allowed Israel to track and monitor officials, the sources added. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. Furthermore, Hamas's propaganda parades of the hostages during their release in the framework of the hostage-ceasefire deal allowed Israel to track and monitor officials, the sources added. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Myanmar earthquake: Strong tremors were felt in southwest China's Yunnan province after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck neighbouring Myanmar. While no casualties or extensive damage was reported from the province, a rooftop water tank in Ruili City was damaged during the earthquake. Follow live updates. Videos shared on social media showed water gushing down, sweeping people who were in its way. HT.com could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. "I felt a mild shake first, so I went out of the building to the street. Then, a strong shake was felt, and I can see the building was shaking too," Ge Zhaolan, 45, a merchant at a shopping mall, told China Daily. He told China Daily that the rooftop water tank on the 30th floor of the building had sprung a substantial leak. "I was hit by the water too, but it was not as terrifying as the video showed," he said. State-run Xinhua reported that people in the provincial capital of Kunming came or stayed outdoors to escape danger when they felt the earthquake at 2:20 pm local time. Also Read | Bangkok earthquake videos: How swimming pool water shook violently, threatened swimmers Li Zhihao, a resident of Jinghong city in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, bordering Myanmar, told the news agency that he felt a tremor lasting nearly one minute. A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, accompanied by multiple aftershocks, causing widespread destruction and at least 1,000 deaths. The earthquake left wide cracks on roads, brought down buildings, and sent tremors across neighbouring countries, including China, Thailand, Vietnam and parts of India also. Also Read | 'When it's your time, it's your time': Tourists recall chaos of earthquake striking Bangkok The Myanmar earthquake also led to the deaths of at least six people in Thailand, where a skyscraper collapsed in Bangkok's Chatuchak market. Over 80 persons are feared trapped in the rubble. The epicentre of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake was located near Mandalay, at a depth of 10 kilometres, striking at 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT), according to the USGS. A strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock occurred soon after, followed by a dozen more tremblers.
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Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. At least 1,000 people have been killed and 2,376 injured after a powerful 7.7 magnitude tremor struck the city of Mandalay in central Myanmar. Aftershocks could be felt as far as Bangkok in neighbouring Thailand. The death toll in Myanmar from Friday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake has risen to 1,644, the AFP news agency quoting the ruling military junta has said. The quake rocked central Myanmar's city of Mandalay around midday local time, causing extensive damage across a wide swath of one of the world's poorest countries. Authorities say 2,376 have been injured, and 30 others are missing. The full extent of the death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear – particularly in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war, and where information is tightly controlled. “The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” the head of Myanmar's military government, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said as he announced on television the latest death toll. At least 10 lives were also lost in the Thai capital, Bangkok – some 1,330 km southeast of the epicentre – after a high-rise building under construction collapsed. Authorities also announced that over a dozen people were injured, to varying degrees, and more than 100 people were missing from three construction sites. The 7.7 magnitude quake struck at midday near Myanmar's second largest city of Mandalay. Aftershocks followed, more than 50, according to national geological agencies, with the strongest measuring in at 6.4 magnitude. Myanmar is in an active earthquake belt, though many of the temblors usually happen in sparsely populated areas, not cities like those affected Friday. The US Geological Survey – an American government science agency – estimated that the death toll in Myanmar's quakes could top 10,000. In Mandalay, the earthquake reportedly brought down multiple buildings, including one of the city's largest monasteries. Photos from the capital city of Naypyidaw showed rescue crews pulling victims from the rubble of multiple buildings used to house civil servants. Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was ready to accept assistance. China and Russia were among the first countries to provide humanitarian assistance. China said it sent more than 136 rescue personnel and experts, along with medical supplies and generators, while Russia flew in 120 rescuers with supplies, according to its Emergencies Ministry. Neighbouring India also sent a search and rescue team, while Malaysia said it 50 people would be sent to help on Sunday. The United Nations allocated $5 million (€4.62 million) to start relief efforts. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance. The effects of his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department will likely be tested in any response to the first big natural disaster of his second term. But amid images of buckled and cracked roads and reports of a collapsed bridge and a burst dam, there were concerns about how rescuers would even reach some areas in a country already enduring a humanitarian crisis.
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Dr Peter Marks was seen as a guardrail against any future politicisation of the FDA's approval of life-saving vaccines A senior health official in the US, who was seen as a guardrail against any future politicisation of the Food and Drug Administration's approval of life-saving vaccines, has resigned abruptly, citing the health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr's “misinformation and lies”. Dr Peter Marks served as the FDA's top vaccine official. He had been lauded by Donald Trump during the US president's first term for his role in Operation Warp Speed, the initiative that developed, manufactured and helped distribute the Covid-19 vaccines. Multiple media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, citing people familiar with the matter, reported late on Friday that Marks had been given the choice to resign or be fired by a Health and Human Services (HHS) department official. He chose to resign. The FDA is a key federal agency within HHS. In a resignation letter, referring to Kennedy, Marks wrote: “It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.” Marks also issued a stark warning, according to media outlets who obtained the letter, saying: “Undermining confidence in well-established vaccines that have met the high standards for quality, safety and effectiveness that have been in place for decades at FDA is irresponsible, detrimental to public health and a clear danger to our nation's health, safety and security.” The departure follows reports that Kennedy has turned to a noted vaccine sceptic, David Geier, to lead the HHS in a study of potential links between vaccines and autism. Any links between autism and vaccines have long been debunked. Kennedy has claimed he is not anti-vaccine, but for years he has led a movement to sow doubts about their safety and effectiveness. In 2021, a group then led by Kennedy called for the emergency approval of Covid-19 vaccines to be revoked, saying: “The current risks of serious adverse events or deaths outweigh the benefits.” Studies later showed that claim was inaccurate. A study by the Commonwealth Fund found that Covid-19 vaccines saved 3.2 million American lives and prevented more than 18m hospitalisations through November 2022. During his confirmation process, Kennedy ultimately secured the votes of almost all Republican senators, including Dr Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, by promising that he would not change the FDA's system for approving vaccines. But that system was overseen by Marks, who has been with the FDA since 2012 and oversaw the division's approval process for vaccines, biotech and blood products. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion The Wall Street Journal reported a statement on the resignation by an HHS official: “If Peter Marks does not want to get behind restoring science to its golden standard and promoting radical transparency, then he has no place at FDA under the strong leadership of secretary Kennedy.” Marks's departure comes a day after the Trump administration said it was laying off 10,000 employees at HHS. In comments about the move posted on YouTube, Kennedy suggested his office was facing opposition inside the department from “defiant bureaucrats” who had stopped his office from gaining access to “closely guarded databases that might reveal the dangers of certain drugs and medical interventions”. The Guardian has sought more information about Kennedy's remarks but has not yet received a comment from HHS. Some experts have warned that Kennedy and other senior Trump-appointed health officials may seek to challenge the authorisation behind the Covid-19 vaccines. Kennedy also said in his confirmation hearings that he had been asked by Trump to study the safety of mifepristone, which is used for medication abortion and has already been extensively investigated for safety. It is not clear what precise databases Kennedy was referring to in his YouTube statement. When pharmaceutical companies seek FDA approval for drugs they have developed, they disclose proprietary information, which the FDA keeps confidential. That includes information about manufacturing methods and clinical study reports.
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A directive targeting French companies with US government contracts has raised concerns about the widening reach of President Donald Trump's policies abroad. With transatlantic relations already under strain, French officials are pushing back, questioning the implications of Washington's hardline approach. The Trump administration has issued a directive to French companies holding US government contracts, instructing them to comply with an executive order that bans diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes. The firms have reportedly been asked to confirm their compliance by completing a separate questionnaire entitled "Certification Regarding Compliance With Applicable Federal Anti-Discrimination Law." This move is likely to ruffle feathers in European boardrooms, as concerns mount that the Trump administration is expanding its crackdown on DEI initiatives beyond US borders. The directive comes at a time when President Donald Trump's stance on tariffs and security cooperation has already shaken transatlantic relations. French business daily Les Echos first reported on Friday that the letter had been dispatched to firms by the US mission in Paris, posting on X: "Several dozen French companies have received a letter from the US embassy". UN rights chief deeply worried about 'fundamental shift' in direction in US The letter further requests that recipients sign and return the document in English within five days. Read more on RFI EnglishRead also:French university opens doors to US scientists fleeing Trump's research cutsTrump escalates trade tensions with 200 percent tariff on EU wine, champagneCan NATO survive the presidency of Donald Trump?
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Jesse Watters, the host of Fox News, gave a bizarre suggestion to US President Donald Trump amidst the ongoing tension with friendly nation Denmark over his plans to take over Greenland. Watters' advice came after US Vice President JD Vance stated on Friday that Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland's defense and called for a shift in strategy. Vance made the scathing comments while touring American forces at Pituffik Space Base on the strategically significant, mineral-rich island. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” the US Vice President asserted. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.” Meanwhile, Trump told reporters in Washington that the United States “needs Greenland for international security.” Trump made reference to the growing interest of Russia and China in the Arctic, where sea routes have opened due to climate change. He asserted that Greenland is crucial to global peace. “And I think Denmark understands, and I think the European Union understands it. And if they don't, we're going to have to explain it to them.” Also Read: JD Vance makes fiery remarks against Denmark amid Trump's plans to takeover Greenland; ‘Not being a good ally' Appearing on his PRimetime show on Fox News, Watters took aim at Denmark for not supporting Trump in his plans to purchase Greenland, the largest island of the world which is garnering limelight due to its rare earth elements and mineral wealth. The Fox News host declared that the US does not need friends, insisting that “Being friendly to the world is what got us in this mess.” He went on to cite US bombing on Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. “If we have to burn down a few bridges with Denmark to take Greenland. We're big boys. We dropped a-bomb on Japan and now they are our top ally in the Pacific.” Stressing that every nation should focus on its interest first, he asserted, “And when our interests align, we can do business. And when they don't, that's life.” Watters faces huge backlash over his Denmark remarksAs Watters' remarks went viral on social media, one X user calling his statement “not just offensive,” but also “morally bankrupt.” “This is straight-up state media propaganda—the kind that glorifies power grabs, mocks diplomacy, and rewrites history to justify imperialism,” wrote Investment Banker Evaristus Odinikaeze. “Saying “we don't need friends” isn't strength but isolationist delusion. And invoking Hiroshima to justify bullying Denmark? That's not just offensive, it's morally bankrupt,” he added. “Wow.. the justification for war with Denmark begins. I never thought I would see the day when America became a dictatorship that invades other countries, but here we are,” another user reacted. While the third user found Watters' comments as “Criminally insane”, the fifth user called on for his arrest, stating that he just incited the “US leadership to drop bombs on Denmark.” “Japan is an ally because of decades of rebuilding, trade, and diplomacy, not because we dropped an atomic bomb. That take is as ignorant as it is dangerous,” one more chimed in, while explaining the importance of ties between the US and Japan. As Watters' remarks went viral on social media, one X user calling his statement “not just offensive,” but also “morally bankrupt.” “This is straight-up state media propaganda—the kind that glorifies power grabs, mocks diplomacy, and rewrites history to justify imperialism,” wrote Investment Banker Evaristus Odinikaeze. “Saying “we don't need friends” isn't strength but isolationist delusion. And invoking Hiroshima to justify bullying Denmark? That's not just offensive, it's morally bankrupt,” he added. “Wow.. the justification for war with Denmark begins. I never thought I would see the day when America became a dictatorship that invades other countries, but here we are,” another user reacted. While the third user found Watters' comments as “Criminally insane”, the fifth user called on for his arrest, stating that he just incited the “US leadership to drop bombs on Denmark.” “Japan is an ally because of decades of rebuilding, trade, and diplomacy, not because we dropped an atomic bomb. That take is as ignorant as it is dangerous,” one more chimed in, while explaining the importance of ties between the US and Japan.
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Governor Ron DeSantis leads push to loosen child labor laws as immigration crackdown leads to workforce shortage Beneath the smugness of Ron DeSantis, at Florida leading the nation in immigration enforcement lies something of a conundrum: how to fill the essential jobs of the scores of immigrant workers targeted for deportation. The answer, according to Florida lawmakers, is the state's schoolchildren, who as young as 14 could soon be allowed to work overnight shifts without a break – even on school nights. A bill that progressed this week through the Republican-dominated state senate seeks to remove numerous existing protections for teenage workers, and allow them, in the Florida governor's words, to step into the shoes of immigrants who supply Florida's tourism and agriculture industries with “dirt cheap labor”. “What's wrong with expecting our young people to be working part-time now? That's how it used to be when I was growing up,” DeSantis said at an immigration forum with Donald Trump's “border czar”, Tom Homan, in Sarasota last week. “Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even import them illegally, when teenagers used to work at these resorts, college students should be [doing] all this stuff.” Unsurprisingly, the proposal has alarmed immigration advocates and watchdog groups concerned about child labor abuses and exploitation. They point out that there is nothing “part-time” in the language of the companion senate and house bills currently before lawmakers, which instead will permit unlimited working hours without breaks for 14- and 15-year-olds who are schooled at home or online, and allow employers to require 16- and 17-year-olds to work for more than six days in a row. “It's essentially treating teens who have developing bodies and minds like adults, and this will allow employers to schedule them for unlimited hours, overnight and without breaks, and this is during the school year,” said Alexis Tsoukalas, senior policy analyst at the Florida Policy Institute (FPI), an independent research and economic analysis group. “It's important to remind people that teens can work. They can get that experience and some extra money if they need it. But there have to be protections in place to protect our most vulnerable, and if we pass this that's absolutely not going to happen.” Meanwhile, an attempt by the state senator who sponsored the bill, the Sarasota Republican Jay Collins, to paint it as an issue of parental rights rather than a way to cover Florida's deportation-driven labor shortfall also failed to impress critics. “We're not talking about The Jungle by Upton Sinclair,” he told the chamber on Wednesday, referring to the 1906 novel that described horrific and dangerous conditions endured by cheap immigrant laborers, including children, in Chicago's meat-packing industry – an environment that still exists today. DeSantis, he insisted, “is talking about those soft skill benefits to children growing”, and said his bill was aimed at teenagers working in places like grocery stores. Tsoukalas rejected Collins's claim. “There's different arguments that people will put on the floor in order to do what they think it takes to get a bill passed. Given some of the justifications that state leaders have made in recent days, it's clear that they are linking the immigration issue and child labor,” she said. “When the sweeping anti-immigrant bill of 2023 passed, we did warn there would be impacts on the labor force and the economy given how reliant we are on immigrant labor. Of course, not all of those people are undocumented, but as we've seen recently at the federal level all types of people, even permanent residents, are getting threatened with deportation. “Combined with what's going on at the state level, that absolutely is a concern. It's no surprise that last year, and then again this year, we're talking about the need to fill gaps with other forms of labor.” According to the US Census Bureau, more than 27% of Florida's workforce is foreign-born. The Farmworker Association of Florida, which represents tens of thousands of low-income, immigrant laborers, says about 60% of its membership is undocumented, and most vulnerable to detention and deportation. Others are among half a million Haitians nationwide who Trump has ordered to leave the US by August after he rescinded their temporary protected status. Pushback from FPI and other groups persuaded Florida lawmakers to drop some of the harsher provisions in a child labor law that passed last year, and opponents are dismayed to find them back under consideration. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion The state was singled out in a 2024 report by Governing for Impact and the Economic Policy Institute that recorded a surge in workplace injuries and violations involving minors – some in the agricultural industry where hazards include exposure to toxic chemicals and dangerous machinery. The report noted a corresponding push in at least 30 mostly Republican-controlled states to weaken workplace protections for children, and warned the second Trump administration would seek to escalate the rollback. “We've been saying since 2023 that this is a way for them to exploit minors, it was when they passed this large, anti-immigrant omnibus and the same year that they tried to pass the first law gutting child labor protection,” said Thomas Kennedy, spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “The only short-term answer to workforce shortages has always been net migration and they'll never go for that because of their politics. So their only answer is to widen the parameters of who can work, and you either go older or you go younger, and they chose to go younger.” Kennedy and Tsoukalas are hopeful that Republicans who said they were uncomfortable with some parts of the bill will ultimately decide to vote against it. According to the Miami Herald, the Republican state senators Nick DiCeglie and Tom Wright helped move it out of the commerce and tourism committee on a 5-4 vote, but said it “needed work”. Republican Joe Gruters joined three Democrats in voting against, saying: “We need to let kids be kids.” Kennedy, however, pointed to another Republican bill that progressed this week that would allow employers to pay interns and apprentices less than minimum wage. “To recap, they made the state hostile to immigrants. They deported a bunch of people, or scared people into not coming, or moving out of the state. They exacerbated worker shortages, so now they're trying to gut child labor protection standards, while at the same time passing a law that would allow them to classify these children and other workers as interns,” he said. “It's insane, right?”
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State investigation under way at Gulf World after four dolphins have mysteriously died in past six months Wildlife officials and law enforcement officers have raided a Florida marine theme park where several dolphins died in mysterious circumstances, and activists filmed survivors in tiny pools swimming in murky green water. Agents served a search warrant on Thursday evening at the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, where the owners, the Mexico-based Dolphin Company, last week refused access to Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) rangers seeking to conduct a wellness check. A state investigation is now under way into conditions at the park following the deaths of three bottlenose dolphins in October, and a fourth earlier this month when one of the mammals crashed headfirst into a shallow area of a pool while performing tricks during a public performance. James Uthmeier, the Florida attorney general, confirmed the raid, conducted in cooperation with the Florida department of law enforcement (FDLE), in a post to X. “Today, at my direction, FDLE and FWC executed a search warrant at the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach,” he wrote. “While this investigation is in the beginning stages, we will not tolerate any animal abuse in Florida.” The park has become a target of activist groups including the Canada-based marine non-profit Urgent Seas, which posted the drone footage taken earlier this month and has expressed repeated concerns about the conditions in which the surviving 12 dolphins are kept. The organization said the environment at the theme park had deteriorated severely in recent months, and believed more dolphins will die in the small and decrepit concrete pools. It has organized a public demonstration at the park for 10am on Saturday to reinforce its call for the dolphins to be relocated to safer facilities. “The conditions at Gulf World are among the worst we've ever observed,” Phil Demers, the executive director of Urgent Seas, said. “The sheer number of dead dolphins over such a short period of time is shocking and inexcusable, yet Gulf World continues to operate without repercussions. You can't unsee those conditions once you've seen them. “Hopefully authorities will act with some sense of urgency, and unless those dolphins and other animals are removed as soon as possible we can assume more will die.” The three mammals that died in October were far younger than the average life expectancy of 40 years for bottlenose dolphins. Gus, 14, was euthanized for an unspecified life-threatening condition; Turk, 15, had bacterial lung disease; and Nate, 20, died of a systemic infection, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine mammal inventory reports. The incident involving Jett, 14, occurred over the first weekend of this month when, according to witnesses, the dolphin appeared to misjudge a jump and suffered acute head trauma. Spectators were asked to leave the show area. Representatives of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) were also part of Thursday's raid, according to WJHG of Panama City Beach. The agency has cited Gulf World Marine Park numerous times dating back to 2014, most recently in January when USDA inspectors found sea lion pools rusty and in disrepair, with paint flaking into the water; cracked and broken concrete around a dolphin pool with powdered concrete in the water; and no shade for dolphins. The report also noted an exodus of six maintenance workers and seven animal care employees in the previous three months. “It is evident that the facility does not have enough employees to maintain the prescribed level of husbandry,” the report concluded. The Dolphin Company did not respond to a request for comment. The Florida attorney general's office said it could not comment on an ongoing investigation. FWC, meanwhile, said in a statement that it “takes the health and welfare of all wildlife, including Florida's marine mammals, very seriously. “Due to growing concerns about the sanitation and condition of aquatic enclosures, as well as the wellbeing of captive bottlenose dolphins at Gulf World Marine Park, FWC has joined local and state partner agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of the facility. “The safety and humane treatment of these animals are of the utmost importance, and we remain committed to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to protect them.” The advocacy group World Animal Protection called for an end to public shows involving marine mammals. “This venue and the rest of the captive dolphin industry need to stop breeding dolphins for profit, otherwise these deaths will continue,” Liz Cabrera Holtz, the group's senior campaigns manager, said. “Dolphins are charismatic and social beings who deserve more than a lifetime in unnatural and cruel conditions. Entertaining tourists is not a justification for their suffering.”
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Doctors in Bangkok delivered a baby on the street outside the Police General Hospital during the massive earthquake in Thailand. The woman was in surgery when the tremors hit on Friday, and doctors were forced to evacuate the hospital. The patient was carried out of the hospital by medical teams and, surrounded by healthcare staff, gave birth to a baby boy, said Police Colonel Sirikul Srisanga, the hospital's spokesperson. Videos of the incident were widely shared on social media, showing the woman lying on a stretcher as hospital staff assisted with her delivery in the open air. In the footage, numerous stretchers of other hospital patients can also be seen shifted into the courtyards, where doctors continued their treatment. Footage during the earthquake in #Bangkok a baby was born in the park 😭 Waht a story to tell ‘' I was born during the earthquake ‘' #แผ่นดินไหว #earthquake #myanmarearthquake #bangkokearthquake #ตึกถล่ม pic.twitter.com/7E0FdzfPEf According to the Thai Enquirer, the woman was in the middle of surgery when the earthquake occurred. "While closing the abdominal wall, an earthquake occurred. The surgical team decided to stabilize the patient and evacuate them to a safer location," Police Lieutenant Colonel Jiramrit said. "Upon reassessment, it was determined that the patient required immediate abdominal closure to prevent the risk of intestinal herniation and potential exposure of bowel loops to external air. Given the urgency, the surgical team proceeded with the final closure of the abdominal wall in a sterile environment outside the operating room, completing the procedure within 10 minutes," he added. The surgeon added that the patient and the baby are now in stable condition and are recovering in a hospital room. The measure was taken as the hospital did not have a specific earthquake response plan, and it followed Fire Evacuation Plan 3, which prioritizes patient safety. Patients were relocated to three designated areas, while civil engineers assessed the buildings for structural integrity. Two powerful earthquakes-measuring 7.7 and 6.4 in magnitude-struck Myanmar at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time on Friday. The tremors were in several areas in Thailand, causing buildings to sway, swimming pools to overflow. The deaths from a powerful earthquake in Myanmar jumped to more than 1,000 on Saturday as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country's second-largest city. In Thailand, Bangkok city authorities said so far six people have been found dead, 26 injured, and 47 are still missing, most from a construction site near the capital's popular Chatuchak market.
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Manage your account A powerful, deadly earthquake struck at the heart of civil war-ravaged Myanmar on Friday, piling fresh misery on an impoverished nation that was cut off from much of the world even before this natural disaster struck. The timing could hardly be worse. The Southeast Asian country is reeling from a raging civil war between a military junta that seized power in 2021, and pro-democracy fighters and ethnic rebel groups battling to overthrow it. The war – now in its fifth year – has ravaged communications and transport in Myanmar, making it particularly difficult to get a clear picture of the damage. The country's military government says more than 1,600 people have died so far. But experts fear the real toll will be far higher and could take weeks to emerge. Here's what we know so far. On Saturday fragments emerged showing the destruction wrought by the quake from former royal capital Mandalay, home to around 1.5 million people and the city closest to its epicenter. Residents of the city known for its Buddhist monasteries and a sprawling palace told CNN of homes, offices, mosques and monasteries collapsing and roads to the city ruptured by quake – which unleashed energy equivalent to “334 atomic bombs,” according to one geologist. And they spoke of desperately rushing injured loved ones to medical care – or the agonizing wait for news of friends still missing or trapped under the rubble. CNN managed to reach one woman living in Mandalay who recalled the terrifying moment a family member was buried by rubble. She asked not to be named. “It hit very strong and very fast,” she said of the earthquake. She recalled she was boiling water to make milk for her baby when the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck not far from her home to the east of the city. Part of the wall of the house collapsed onto the woman's grandmother who was sitting nearby, burying her legs in rubble and debris, she said. “The door couldn't open as a fence had collapsed onto it. I shouted out for help and my husband came in from the street. He jumped on the door and managed to open it.” A former lawyer in the city who did not want to give his name, told CNN three members of his wife's family had been killed in the quake. “Until now, we have not been able to recover their dead bodies from rubble,” he said. The quake also shattered some of the city's mosques which were busy with worshippers attending Friday prayers, one man said. “When the buildings collapsed, many Muslims got trapped inside, causing casualties and deaths… In one mosque, there are more than a hundred injured.” Across the mighty Irrawaddy river that runs past Mandalay, there is also destruction in Sagaing region, a more rural area, where many live in more flimsy – but more earthquake survivable – wooden and thatched houses. Nang Aye Yin, 34, heard news that the nunnery where a relative of his was studying had collapsed. “Luckily no one died, but two were badly wounded. One of my nieces aged 11 lost three toes and another nun had her head broken as well as one of her legs.” Hospitals in both Sagaing and Mandalay turned them away as they were already at full capacity, he said. Meanwhile, civilians and rescue teams have been raising complaints that a shortage of heavy machinery, as well as a lack of assistance from the military government, have been hampering rescue efforts. Civilians in Mandalay say they have instead resorted to scrambling through the dirt with their bare hands to look for survivors. “There's too much rubble, and no rescue teams have come for us,” one survivor told Reuters. Myanmar's military junta seized power in a 2021 coup after a brief 10-year experiment with democracy. Before that, Myanmar's generals ruled for decades. And generally, whenever disaster struck, they would eschew foreign help and play down the impact. This time it's different. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing took the unusual step of quickly asking for foreign aid. He visited the city of Mandalay on Saturday to inspect the damage, state media reported, as well as the capital Naypyidaw which was also hit hard. On Saturday several neighboring countries began sending rescue teams and aid. A team from China – historically one of the junta's closest partners – were the first to arrive, touching down in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon bringing relief supplies, Chinese state media said. Singapore, Malaysia, India and Russia also announced they would send help. But for those in quake-stricken Mandalay, around 380 miles away and with transportation uncertain, the wait driving them mad. “My head is going to explode while waiting for calls for friends who cannot be found yet,” the former lawyer said. The earthquake is the most powerful to hit Myanmar in a century. “The force that a quake like this releases is about 334 atomic bombs,” geologist Jess Phoenix told CNN. Another seismologist said that the quake was like a “great knife cut into the Earth.” James Jackson, from the University of Cambridge in England, told CNN the earthquake was caused by a rupture that lasted for “a full minute,” causing sideways movements on the ground. “Think of a piece of paper tearing, and it tears at about two kilometers per second,” he said. However, the powerful phenomenon was “not an unexpected event,” Shengji Wei, principal investigator at the Earth Observatory of Singapore said. Friday's earthquake occurred along a segment of the Sagaing Fault, a major geological fault line that has historically seen big earthquakes, said Wei. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
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Manage your account Anxious loved ones waited outside a twisted mass of metal and concrete in the heart of Thailand's capital on Saturday as rescuers searched for dozens of missing workers and the city confronted the aftermath of a rare and powerful earthquake that set skyscrapers swaying and rattled millions of residents. Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake struck hundreds of miles away in impoverished Myanmar, but was strong enough to send shock waves through the forest of high-rise condominiums, shopping malls and offices of central Bangkok, sending water spilling from infinity pools and buckling carriages on the city's rail network. In Myanmar some 700 people have been confirmed killed so far and more than 1,600 injured, according to the isolated country's military government, with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimating the final toll there could surpass 10,000 people according to early modeling. At least 10 people have died in Bangkok, its deputy governor said, sending shock waves of a different kind through a city that sits on no major tectonic fault. The ground zero of the devastation in the Thai capital is an under-construction 30-story skyscraper next to the sprawling Chatuchak weekend market popular with the millions of foreign tourists that visit the city each year. Early Saturday the loved ones of those feared buried under the mountain of broken pillars, rubble and steel sat on plastic chairs at the edge of the excavation site, watching diggers claw through the debris. Junpen Kaewnoi's mother and sister were working as painters on the site and are now among the missing, she told CNN. “I kept calling, but it was unsuccessful. All I kept hearing was the continuous toot… toot… of a busy signal,” she said. “I feel like there's a lump in my stomach, and I have no appetite to eat. I'm worried about my mom and sister still being stuck inside since yesterday. Nowhere to be found.” She said she had spoken to her sister on Friday morning before they left for work. “I asked her what she would have for lunch,” she recalled. In a city where deep inequalities are on stark display, many of Bangkok's construction workers hail from poorer parts of Thailand, especially its less wealthy northeast, as well as from neighboring Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. The collapsed structure was being built by a subsidiary of the China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group, itself a subsidiary of the state-owned China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC), one of the world's largest construction and engineering contractors, according to a now-deleted social media post by the group. The Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited was also involved in the project, according to Chinese state media report from 2021. In a post on its official WeChat account on April 2, 2024, China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group celebrated the completion of the building's main structure on March 31, 2024. When completed, the 137-meter building was to serve as the office of Thailand's State Audit Office and other related government agencies, the company said in the post. The post, which was seen by CNN, was deleted late Friday afternoon after screenshots of it started to circulate on Chinese social media. CNN has reached out to the company for comment. Elsewhere across the Southeast Asian megacity, glitzy glass-and-steel buildings home to expensive real estate swayed and groaned when the quake hit, showering dust onto the ground. A bridge connecting two high-rise apartment buildings in an upmarket neighborhood broke during the quake, video showed. Other videos showed the contents of rooftop infinity pools – a popular status symbol of Bangkok's well-heeled – sloshing off the sides of towering apartment blocks onto the street below. Bangkok has expanded at a breakneck pace, with high-rise condos and gleaming skyscrapers shooting up in recent decades. When the tremors began, Bella Pawita Sunthornpong thought she was experiencing a moment of lightheadedness, “because I was seeing everything was swaying.” “But I was walking out to another room, and I start seeing the lamp from the ceiling was, like, really swaying together,” she told CNN, describing the moment she realized it was an earthquake. She grabbed her phone and started running down from the 33rd floor, telling others around her to run too. As she made her way out of the building, she said, ceiling paint was falling and everything was still swaying. “I was thinking, you know, whatever happened, I just need to keep running until I hit the ground,” Pawita Sunthornpong said. Engineers were rushing Saturday to assess nearly 1,000 reports of “structural concerns” across the city. Authorities said buildings would be graded – green for safe, yellow for buildings with some damage which are usable with caution, and red indicating severe damage requiring closure. The worst damage has taken place hundreds of miles away across the border in Myanmar, a nation far less well equipped to deal with such a large disaster. The quake struck near Myanmar's second most populous city, Mandalay, home to historic temple complexes and palaces. Reuters video from near Mandalay showed a multi-story building collapsing in on itself as the quake hit, sending around a dozen saffron-robed monks ducking for cover. The city, home to around 1.5 million people, is normally popular with foreign tourists. But a civil war has raged across the country since the military took power in 2021, ousting civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and ending a 10-year experiment with democratic rule. Swathes of the country lie outside the control of the junta and are run by a patchwork of ethnic rebels and militias, making compiling reliable information extremely difficult. The epicenter was recorded in Sagaing region, which borders Mandalay and has been ravaged by the war, with the junta, pro-military militia and rebel groups battling for control and all running checkpoints, making travel by road or river extremely difficult. Having largely shut the country off from the world during four years of civil war, Min Aung Hlaing – the leader of Myanmar's military government – issued an “open invitation to any organizations and nations willing to come and help the people in need within our country,” adding the toll was likely to rise. Several aid agencies said they are mobilizing ground operations. But the military – which has ruled Myanmar for most of its history since independence from Britain in 1948 – has a long and troubled track record of struggling to respond to major natural disasters, and in the past has granted humanitarian access, only to rescind it later. CNN's Nectar Gan, Yong Xiong, Lucas Lillieholm, Edward Szekerez, Manveena Suri and Chris Lau contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
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Elon Musk has announced that his artificial intelligence startup, xAI, has acquired social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in a deal worth $45 billion. This acquisition, which includes $ 12 billion in debt, slightly surpasses the $44 billion Musk paid for Twitter in 2022 before rebranding it as X. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO shared the news of the acquisition on his X account, stating, “xAI and X's futures are intertwined. Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, computing, distribution and talent. This combination will unlock immense potential by blending xAI's advanced AI capability and expertise with X's massive reach.” What is Musk's xAI startup? Elon Musk founded xAI in 2023 with the vision of developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence models capable of competing with industry giants such as OpenAI, Google and Microsoft. Shortly after its launch, xAI introduced Grok, an AI-powered chatbot designed to provide real-time responses and engage with users in a conversational manner. Over time, Grok became an integral part of X, with users frequently using it to participate in discussions, seek information and generate insights, according to a report in NBC News. To improve its AI models, xAI has used data from social media interactions on X, refining Grok's ability to respond contextually and intelligently. This integration between xAI's technology and X's vast user-generated content has positioned Grok as a prominent and widely used feature on the platform. Amid the growing demand for AI-driven technologies, xAI has attracted significant interest from investors. Major Wall Street firms, including BlackRock, Fidelity, Morgan Stanley and Sequoia Capital, along with leading semiconductor giants Nvidia and AMD, invested in xAI in December 2024, pushing its valuation to $45 billion, the NBC News report said. More recently, the company secured an additional $10 billion in funding, further driving its valuation to an impressive $75 billion, according to a report in The Guardian. With expansion and growing investor confidence, xAI is solidifying its position as a major player in the AI landscape. Its acquisition of X could mark a big step in that direction. What is the future of xAI and X? While Elon Musk has not yet announced any immediate changes to X following its acquisition by xAI, he has hinted at a deeper integration of artificial intelligence into the platform. The deal, structured as an all-stock transaction, values xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion, accounting for $12 billion in debt. Musk described xAI as one of the world's fastest-growing AI labs, highlighting its rapid advancements in developing AI models and building data centres at an unprecedented scale. At the same time, the Tesla CEO emphasised X's transformation into a highly efficient company, now serving as the “digital town square” for over 600 million active users. He believes this acquisition positions the platform for scalable growth, using xAI's AI capabilities to improve user experiences and interactions. He reiterated xAI's core mission of “seeking truth and advancing knowledge.” Musk expressed gratitude to the teams at xAI and X for their dedication, calling this acquisition “just the beginning.” He also acknowledged the continued support of partners and investors. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. US Vice President JD Vance says Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland's security and demands Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump continues to talk of taking over the Danish territory. Vance spoke to US troops at Pituffik Space Base. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokraatit, the biggest party in parliament, was sworn in as prime minister. It happened as U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in Greenland to visit America's Pituffik Space Base. Vice President JD Vance and his wife on Friday toured a U.S. military base in Greenland. The visit was revised after an initial three-day trip to the semi-autonomous Danish territory created uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were irked that the travel plans were announced without previous consultation. (AP video: Philip Crowther, Emilio Morenatti) US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha sat down with American troops stationed in Greenland for lunch. Vance told the U.S. troops he's Arctic security is a “big issue and it's only going to get bigger over the coming decades,” Vance said. (CLIENTS NOTE THIS VIDEO CONTAINS A PROFANITY) U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday that Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland's security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump continues to talk of taking over the Danish territory. The pointed remarks came as Vance visited U.S. troops on Pituffik Space Base on the mineral-rich, strategically critical island. Vice President JD Vance arrives at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, from right, and second lady Usha Vance, speak with soldiers at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, fourth from right, and second lady Usha Vance, second left, arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, right, and second lady Usha Vance arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) A fisherman rides on a boat though a frozen sea inlet outside of Nuuk, Greenland, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Vice President JD Vance arrives at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Pieces of ice float on the sea in Nuuk, Greenland, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) A boat rides though a frozen sea inlet outside of Nuuk, Greenland, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Vice President JD Vance, from right, and second lady Usha Vance speak with soldiers at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, right, and second lady Usha Vance arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Two Greenland flags and a sign that reads “Our land, Our future” are seen in front of the Inussuk statue, a sculpture marking the start of Self Governance, during a visit by US Vice President JD Vance in Nuuk Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/ Philip Crowther) Second lady Usha Vance arrives at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, from right, and second lady Usha Vance speak with soldiers at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) Vice President JD Vance, right, and second lady Usha Vance arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP) ▶ Follow live updates on President Donald Trump and his administration NUUK, Greenland (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday that Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland's security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump pushes to take over the Danish territory. Usha Vance attends a campaign rally, Nov. 1, 2024, in Selma, N.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce, File) The pointed remarks came as Vance visited U.S. troops on Pituffik Space Base on the mineral-rich, strategically critical island alongside his wife and other senior U.S. officials for a trip that was ultimately scaled back after an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were not consulted about the original itinerary. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.” Vance said the U.S. has “no option” but to take a significant position to ensure the security of Greenland as he encouraged a push in Greenland for independence from Denmark. “I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States,” Vance said. “We could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection. And I think they'd fare a lot better economically as well.” The reaction by members of Greenland's parliament and residents has rendered that unlikely, with anger erupting over the Trump administration's attempts to annex the vast Arctic island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pushed back on Vance's claim that Denmark isn't doing enough for defense in the Arctic, calling her country “a good and strong ally.” Soon after arriving, Vance briefly addressed U.S. troops stationed at the base as he and his wife sat down to lunch with them, saying that the Trump administration is very interested in “Arctic security.” He and his entourage, including national security adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, later received briefings from military officials. A fisherman rides on a boat though a frozen sea inlet outside of Nuuk, Greenland, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) It was minus-3 degrees F (minus-19 degrees C) when the delegation landed at the remote base 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle. “It's cold as s—- here. Nobody told me,” Vance said, prompting laughs. The revised trip to the semi-autonomous Danish territory comes as relations between the U.S. and the Nordic country, a traditional U.S. ally and NATO member, have soured. Trump had repeatedly suggested that the United States should in some form control the island. During his remarks at the end of the brief visit, Vance underscored that he did not think military force was ever going to be necessary as he pressed the idea of a dramatically enhanced American position on the island. “Because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we're going to have to cut a deal, Donald Trump style, to ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America,” Vance said while adding that the people of Greenland had the right to determine their own future. In Washington, Trump on Friday said the U.S. “needs Greenland for international security.” Trump, speaking to reporters soon after Vance's arrival, alluded to the rising Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic, where sea lanes have opened up because of climate change. “Greenland's very important for the peace of the world,” Trump said. “And I think Denmark understands, and I think the European Union understands it. And if they don't, we're going to have to explain it to them.” After Vance's speech, Frederiksen said Denmark was increasing its defense capabilities in the region, including new Arctic ships and long-range drones. With Greenland part of NATO, she also emphasized the collective responsibility of the alliance to defend the Arctic in response to the Russian threat. After Denmark stood “side by side with Americans” in its war against terror, she said it was “not a fair way” for Vance to refer to Denmark. Denmark's ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Møller Sørensen, thanked Vance “for taking a closer look at Arctic security” and said both countries agree more could be done. “Greenland & Denmark share a desire to strengthen our already incredibly close ties with our friend & ally,” he wrote on social media. Ahead of Vance's arrival, four of the five parties elected to Greenland's parliament earlier this month signed an agreement to form a new, broad-based coalition government. The parties banded together in the face of Trump's designs on the territory. “It is a time when we as a population are under pressure,” the prime minister-designate, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said before the accord was signed to applause and cheers in the capital, Nuuk. He added that “we must stick together. Together we are strongest,” Greenland broadcaster KNR reported. In a post on Instagram, Frederiksen congratulated Nielsen and his incoming government, and said, “I look forward to close cooperation in an unnecessarily conflict-filled time.” Frederiksen said Tuesday that the U.S. visit, which was originally set for three days, created “unacceptable pressure.” She has said Denmark wants to work with the U.S. on defense and security, but Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Initially, Vance's wife, Usha Vance, had announced a solo trip to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut. The vice president subsequently said he would join her on that trip, only to change that itinerary again — after protests from Greenland and Denmark — to a one-day visit to the military post only. Inhabitants of Nuuk, which is about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) south of Pituffik, voiced concern about Vance's visit and the U.S. interest in their island. Cora Høy, 22, said Vance was “welcome if he wants to see it but of course Greenland is not for sale.” She added that “it's not normal around here” with all the attention Greenland is getting. “I feel now every day is about (Trump) and I just want to get away from it.” A boat rides though a frozen sea inlet outside of Nuuk, Greenland, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Pieces of ice float on the sea in Nuuk, Greenland, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) “It's all a bit crazy. Of course the population here is a bit shook up,” said 30-year-old Inuk Kristensen. “My opinion is the same as everyone's: Of course you don't do things this way. You don't just come here and say that you want to buy the place.” As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources. “We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic, because we know that if America doesn't, other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind,” Vance said. Grieshaber reported from Berlin and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Elon Musk's xAI has acquired X in a deal that values the social media platform at $33 billion and allows the value of his artificial intelligence firm to be shared with his co-investors in the company formerly known as Twitter.The deal could also help xAI's ability to train its chatbot known as Grok."xAI and X's futures are intertwined," Musk, who also heads automaker Tesla and SpaceX, wrote in a post on X: "Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent." He said the combination values "xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion ($45B less $12B debt)."Representatives for X and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Much of the deal's specifics remain unclear, such as how X's leaders would be integrated in the new firm or whether there would be regulatory scrutiny.Musk, the world's wealthiest man, is also a close ally of US President Donald Trump and heads the Department of Government Efficiency.When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS— SMX (@iam_smx) February 12, 2025Saudi investment in AI Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development.He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> The deal could also help xAI's ability to train its chatbot known as Grok."xAI and X's futures are intertwined," Musk, who also heads automaker Tesla and SpaceX, wrote in a post on X: "Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent." He said the combination values "xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion ($45B less $12B debt)."Representatives for X and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Much of the deal's specifics remain unclear, such as how X's leaders would be integrated in the new firm or whether there would be regulatory scrutiny.Musk, the world's wealthiest man, is also a close ally of US President Donald Trump and heads the Department of Government Efficiency.When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS— SMX (@iam_smx) February 12, 2025Saudi investment in AI Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development.He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> "xAI and X's futures are intertwined," Musk, who also heads automaker Tesla and SpaceX, wrote in a post on X: "Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent." He said the combination values "xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion ($45B less $12B debt)."Representatives for X and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Much of the deal's specifics remain unclear, such as how X's leaders would be integrated in the new firm or whether there would be regulatory scrutiny.Musk, the world's wealthiest man, is also a close ally of US President Donald Trump and heads the Department of Government Efficiency.When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS— SMX (@iam_smx) February 12, 2025Saudi investment in AI Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development.He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> He said the combination values "xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion ($45B less $12B debt)."Representatives for X and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Much of the deal's specifics remain unclear, such as how X's leaders would be integrated in the new firm or whether there would be regulatory scrutiny.Musk, the world's wealthiest man, is also a close ally of US President Donald Trump and heads the Department of Government Efficiency.When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS— SMX (@iam_smx) February 12, 2025Saudi investment in AI Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development.He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> Representatives for X and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Much of the deal's specifics remain unclear, such as how X's leaders would be integrated in the new firm or whether there would be regulatory scrutiny.Musk, the world's wealthiest man, is also a close ally of US President Donald Trump and heads the Department of Government Efficiency.When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS— SMX (@iam_smx) February 12, 2025Saudi investment in AI Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development.He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> Musk, the world's wealthiest man, is also a close ally of US President Donald Trump and heads the Department of Government Efficiency.When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS— SMX (@iam_smx) February 12, 2025Saudi investment in AI Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development.He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS— SMX (@iam_smx) February 12, 2025 When Elon Musk met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice president and Prime minister of UAE. pic.twitter.com/lBgnZ3IGqS Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns the investment company Kingdom Holding, said he had requested the development.He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> He noted his companies are the second-largest investors in X and xAI. "After this deal, the value of our investments is expected to reach between $4-$5 billion... and the meter is running," he said in a post on X. AdvertisementD.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said the price tag for X of $45 billion when debt was included was not a coincidence. "It is $1 billion higher than the take-private transaction for Twitter in 2022." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter An investor in xAI who declined to be identified said they were not surprised by the deal, viewing it as Musk consolidating his leadership and management at his own companies.Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> Musk did not ask investors for approval but told them that the two companies had been collaborating closely and the deal would drive deeper integration with Grok, the investor said.Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> Musk's xAI startup was launched less than two years ago and recently raised $10 billion in a funding round that valued the company at $75 billion, according to a media report. It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> It competes with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI as well as with Chinese startup DeepSeek.In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> In February, Musk, 53, made a $97.4 billion bid with a consortium for OpenAI, which was rejected and he has sued to prevent the ChatGPT maker from converting from a non-profit to a for-profit business. A judge this month denied Musk's request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the changeover.As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> As competition in AI intensifies, xAI has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, and its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called "Colossus," is touted as the largest in the world.xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> xAI introduced Grok-3, the latest iteration of its chatbot, in February.The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> The X platform could serve to further distribute xAI products, while also providing a real-time feed of users' musings, screenshots and other data.After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> After buying Twitter, Musk gutted the company's workforce, prompting advertisers to flee the platform and a rapid decline in revenue. Recently, brands have been returning to X as Musk's influence in the Trump administration grows.The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> The seven banks that extended $13 billion in loans to Musk to buy X kept the debt on their books for two years until they were able to sell it all at once last month, according to a source familiar with the transactions.This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> This was made possible after a surge in investor interest for exposure to AI companies along with X's improved operating performance over the previous two quarters, among other factors, according to two people familiar with the matter.After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> After the merger, investors who bought the debt from the banks will profit, said Espen Robak, founder of Pluris Valuation Advisors, which specializes in illiquid assets. "For sure the debt is worth more now, if not fully paid off."Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >> Separately, a US judge on Friday rejected a bid by Musk to dismiss a lawsuit claiming he had defrauded former Twitter shareholders by waiting too long to disclose his initial investment in the company.Sign up for the Business & Innovation Newsletter >>
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This blog is now closed, you can read our story here Our live stream has ended and we'll be closing this blog shortly, thanks for joining us. Here are a few more photos from around the world: Reader Laura Alice Watt in Iceland says: I live in the Westfjords region of Iceland, and had no idea about the eclipse forecast - but driving home from my visit to my local swimming pool in Þingeyri, our light-snow clouds lifted just enough to reveal the eclipse - one minute off from its maximum here, at 11:08am - but also veiled it enough that I could easily see it (and photograph it with my iPhone) without filters of any kind. Quite a surprise for my morning commute!' Thanks for all your images, they are much appreciated. There are too many to post/reply to all of them but here's a selection: And rather than viewing the eclipse directly, some readers are using the colander trick outlined in my colleague Nicola Davis's explainer: If you have any particularly striking images, feel free to send them to me at hamish.mackay@theguardian.com Dave Hamilton, a reader from West Somerset, has sent this image: Dave says he used two filters with a coloured lens on the front of his eye piece. “I've got a solar filter on the front of my telescope and, low tech, just holding my phone camera in front of the eye piece.” Here are some more images of the eclipse from… Warwickshire, England: And Nantes, France: Here's a view of the sun from Dakar, Senegal: How visible today's partial eclipse will be depends, unsurprisingly, on how clear the sky is where you are. What is surprising, however, is that some of the best visibility across the northern hemisphere will be above Guardian HQ in oft-rainy London, where there is barely a cloud in the sky. If you refresh this page, a live stream should now be playable at the top. Sophie Murray of the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies says that an option for viewing the eclipse safely is to “make a simple pinhole projector by poking a small hole in a piece of paper or cardboard and letting sunlight pass through it onto the ground or another surface, where you'll see a small, inverted image of the eclipsed sun”. The partial eclipse will not turn up on a smartphone camera without a suitable filter, Paris Observatory astronomer Florent Deleflie adds. The partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of the UK between 10am and noon on Saturday – with viewing chances best in the east where skies should be clearest – and in several other parts of the world, including western Europe, Greenland, north-west Africa and north-east North America. “It won't be total anywhere but there are parts of Canada where it will be about 90%,” said the Royal Observatory's Jake Foster. “So it'll be very impressive over there.” While he added the situation in the UK will differ based on location, in general between 30% and 40% of the sun is expected to be obscured. “The best place in the UK is going to be further north-west, parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland where it's about 40-45%,” Foster said. “The weather forecast is actually looking quite good, as far as we can tell. So we're quite optimistic,” he added. But those hoping for an eerie darkness to descend could be disappointed. “The thing is, with a partial solar eclipse like this [with] around 30-40% of the sun being blocked, If you're not looking up, you wouldn't really notice the difference,” said Foster. “In a partial solar eclipse, you're unlikely to notice it getting any darker or any colder in the same way you would during a total eclipse. You really do have to be observing it to really see its effects.” The timing of the event also differs by location, but in London it will begin at 10.07am, with the moon reach its maximum coverage of the sun at 11.03am before ending at noon. The next total solar eclipse visible from the UK is in 2090. However, in August 2026 a total solar eclipse would be visible across much of Europe, including parts of Spain. “In fact, it'll be over some islands like Ibiza as well,” the Royal Observatory's Jake Foster said. Those who can't get away may still want to dig out their colanders as viewers in the UK will be treated to another partial solar eclipse. “If people want to directly view it, to actually look up at the sun, they are going to need a pair of solar eclipse glasses or a solar viewer,” said the Royal Observatory's Jake Foster. “Those make use of a special filter that blocks out 99.9999% of the sun's light, which makes it safe for us to view. And, similarly, solar telescopes use similar filters.” However, there are simple ways to view the partial solar eclipse indirectly. Foster recommends taking either a colander from your kitchen, or a piece of paper with a small hole in it, and holding this up so that the Sun's light shines through the holes. This will project an image of the eclipse on to the ground, wall or another piece of paper. “It'll look like the sun is having a bite taken out of it but it'll be projected so that you can actually safely view it as it happens,” he said. “Sometimes the sunlight passing through the gaps between leaves in the trees can have the same effect.” A warning for those of you planning to watch the eclipse outdoors rather than online (crazy, I know) : Looking straight at the Sun - during an eclipse or otherwise - can lead to irreversible vision loss. Sky-gazers are advised to buy eclipse-viewing glasses and ensure they are in good condition. Even a slight defect or “microscopic hole” can cause eye damage, the Paris Observatory warned. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, partially blocking out the sun's light. By contrast, in a total solar eclipse the moon completely blocks the sun's light. “These eclipses, whether they be partial or total, it is effectively watching the clockwork of the solar system in action,” said the Royal Observatory astronomer Jake Foster. Sky-gazers across a broad swathe of the northern hemisphere will have a chance to see the moon take a bite out of the sun today when a partial solar eclipse sweeps from eastern Canada to Siberia. The partial eclipse, which is the first of the year and the 17th this century, will last around four hours from 8.50am GMT to 12.43pm GMT. Curious observers making sure to protect their eyes might be able to see the celestial show in most of Europe, as well as in some areas of northeastern North America and northwest Africa. Eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth all line up. When they perfectly align for a total solar eclipse, the moon fully blots out the sun's disc, creating an eerie twilight here on Earth. But that will not happen during Saturday's partial eclipse, which will instead turn the Sun into a crescent. “The alignment is not perfect enough for the cone of shadow to touch the Earth's surface,” Paris Observatory astronomer Florent Deleflie told the AFP news agency. Because that shadow will “remain in space, there will not be a total eclipse anywhere” on Earth, he said. At most, the Moon will cover around 90 percent of the Sun's disc. The best view will be from northeastern Canada and Greenland at the peak time of 10.47 GMT. We'll have a live stream for you to watch shortly…
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Experts say that the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on Friday was likely the strongest to hit the country in decades, with disaster modelling suggesting thousands could be dead. Automatic assessments from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the shallow 7.7-magnitude quake northwest of the central Myanmar city of Sagaing triggered a red alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. "High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," it said, locating the epicentre near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay, home to more than a million people. Myanmar's ruling junta said on Saturday morning that the number killed had passed 1,000, with more than 2,000 injured. However, the USGS analysis said there was a 35 percent chance that possible fatalities could be in the range of 10,000-100,000 people. The USGS offered a similar likelihood that the financial damage could total tens of thousands of millions of dollars, warning that it might exceed the GDP of Myanmar. Weak infrastructure will complicate relief efforts in the isolated, military-ruled state, where rescue services and the healthcare system have already been ravaged by four years of civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021. - Dangerous fault - Bill McGuire, emeritus professor of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London (UCL), said it was "probably the biggest earthquake on the Myanmar mainland in three-quarters of a century". A 6.7-magnitude aftershock struck minutes after the first and McGuire warned that "more can be expected". Rebecca Bell, a tectonics expert at Imperial College London (ICL), suggested it was a side-to-side "strike-slip" of the Sagaing Fault. This is where the Indian tectonic plate, to the west, meets the Sunda plate that forms much of Southeast Asia -- a fault similar in scale and movement to the San Andreas Fault in California. "The Sagaing fault is very long, 1,200 kilometres (745 miles), and very straight," Bell said. "The straight nature means earthquakes can rupture over large areas -- and the larger the area of the fault that slips, the larger the earthquake." Earthquakes in such cases can be "particularly destructive", Bell added, explaining that since the quake takes place at a shallow depth, its seismic energy has dissipated little by the time it reaches populated areas above. That causes "a lot of shaking at the surface", Bell said. - Building boom - Myanmar has been hit by powerful quakes in the past. There have been more than 14 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or above in the past century, including a magnitude 6.8 earthquake near Mandalay in 1956, said Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey. Ian Watkinson, from the department of earth sciences at Royal Holloway University of London, said what had changed in recent decades was the "boom in high-rise buildings constructed from reinforced concrete". Myanmar has been riven by years of conflict and there is a low level of building design enforcement. "Critically, during all previous magnitude 7 or larger earthquakes along the Sagaing Fault, Myanmar was relatively undeveloped, with mostly low-rise timber-framed buildings and brick-built religious monuments," Watkinson said. "Today's earthquake is the first test of modern Myanmar's infrastructure against a large, shallow-focus earthquake close to its major cities." Baptie said that at least 2.8 million people in Myanmar were in hard-hit areas where most lived in buildings "constructed from timber and unreinforced brick masonry" that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking. "The usual mantra is that 'earthquakes don't kill people; collapsing infrastructure does'," said Ilan Kelman, an expert in disaster reduction at UCL. "Governments are responsible for planning regulations and building codes. This disaster exposes what governments of Burma/Myanmar failed to do long before the earthquake, which would have saved lives during the shaking." - Skyscraper checks - Strong tremors also rocked neighbouring Thailand, where a 30-storey skyscraper under construction was reduced to a pile of dusty concrete, trapping workers in the debris. Christian Malaga-Chuquitaype, from ICL's civil and environmental engineering department, said the nature of the ground in Bangkok contributed to the impact on the city, despite being some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the epicentre in Myanmar. "Even though Bangkok is far from active faults, its soft soil amplifies the shaking," he said. "This affects especially tall buildings during distant earthquakes." Malaga-Chuquitaype said the construction techniques in Bangkok favouring "flat slabs" -- where floors are held only by columns without using strengthening beams, like a table supported only by legs -- were a "problematic design". He said that initial video analysis of the collapsed tower block in Bangkok suggested this type of construction technique had been used. "It performs poorly during earthquakes, often failing in a brittle and sudden (almost explosive) manner," he said. Roberto Gentile, a catastrophe risk modelling expert from UCL, said the "dramatic collapse" of the Bangkok tower block meant that "other tall buildings in the city may require a thorough assessment". Bangkok city authorities said they will deploy more than 100 engineers to inspect buildings for safety after receiving more than 2,000 reports of damage. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Hundreds of international students studying in the US have received emails from the US Department of State (DOS), telling them to self-deport as their F-1 visas (student visas) have been revoked owing to campus activism. The crackdown is not limited to students who physically participated in campus activism, but people who shared or even liked 'anti-national' posts have reportedly also been targeted in these emails. Some Indian students may also be at the receiving end of such emails, for something as innocuous as sharing a social media post, The Times Of India reported, quoting Immigration attorneys who confirmed the development. According to the latest Open Doors report, of the 1.1 million international students studying in the US in 2023-24, 3.31 lakh are Indian students. The diktat followed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's announcement about the revocation of several international students' visas for so-called anti-national activities. "It might be more than 300 at this point. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas...Every country in the world has a right to decide who comes in as a visitor and who doesn't," Rubio said at a press conference in Guyana on Thursday, without elaborating on whose visas had been revoked. Speaking to reporters on the plane back to Washington, Rubio said the 300 revoked visas were a combination of student and visitor visas. He said he signed every single action. "At some point, I hope we run out because we've gotten rid of all of them, but we're looking every day for these lunatics that are tearing things up." Rubio's office recently also launched an AI-powered app, "Catch and Revoke", to detect and cancel the visas of students found supporting Hamas or other designated terrorist organisations. As part of the crackdown, the DOS (which includes Consulate officials) is also scrutinising even new student applications, be it for an F (academic study visa), M (vocational study visa), or J (exchange visa). If found guilty, applicants will be denied the opportunity to study in the US. The email received by students from the authorities asked them to self-deport themselves using the CBP Home App that the US President Donald Trump administration launched on March 10. "On behalf of the United States Department of State, the Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Office hereby informs you that additional information became available after your visa was issued. As a result, your F-1 visa with expiration date XXXXX was revoked in accordance with Section 221(i) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended," the TOI reported, citing the email. "The Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Office has alerted the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which manages the Student Exchange Visitor Program and is responsible for removal proceedings. They may notify your designated school official about the revocation of your F-1 visa," it added. The document warned the student that if they stay in the United States without lawful immigration status, it could lead to fines, detention, and/or deportation. "It may also make you ineligible for a future US visa. Please note that deportation can take place at a time that does not allow the person being deported to secure possessions or conclude affairs in the United States. Persons being deported may be sent to countries other than their countries of origin," it further read. It further said that if the deported students want to return to America in the future, they would need to apply for a fresh visa, and then their eligibility will be reassessed. "As soon as you depart the United States, you must personally present your passport to the US embassy or consulate which issued your visa so your visa can be physically cancelled. You must not attempt to use your visa, as it has been revoked. If you intend to travel to the United States in the future, you must apply for another US visa, and a determination on your eligibility for a visa will be made at that time," the mail added. Rubio, earlier this week, stressed that the US visa was "not a birthright" and people who were found violating the terms of visitation would have to leave. "I don't know when we've got it in our head that a visa is some sort of birthright. It is not," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on CBS News's Face The Nation show. "It is a visitor into our country, and if you violate the terms of your visitation, you are going to leave," he added.
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Arts funding body responds to criticism as Wigmore Hall in London says it will operate independently from 2026 Classical music and opera is “absolutely essential to the lifeblood of the arts” and has the enthusiastic support of Arts Council England (ACE), its chief executive has said after coming under fire from a leading arts figure. Darren Henley, the chief executive of the body that distributes public and lottery funds to arts organisations in England, said investment in classical music was central to the council's programme. Henley sought to reassure the sector after John Gilhooly, the artistic and executive director of Wigmore Hall, a concert venue in central London, said ACE had lost the confidence of people in the classical music world. Gilhooly announced this week that from 2026 Wigmore Hall would no longer take public subsidies through ACE. Instead the venue has secured £10m in pledged donations, allowing it to be independent and artistically ambitious, he said. “I'm a huge defender of ACE, and I'm grateful for their support in helping us get to where we are,” Gilhooly said. “But in some ways it has lost its way.” In particular, the council's Let's Create strategy, which aims to ensure access to the arts for all, was “desperately important” but had led to the council “judging community events and the great artists of the world by the same criteria”, he said. Wigmore Hall and the musicians it hosted were committed to community outreach, said Gilhooly, highlighting its Music for Life programme for people with dementia. It also runs a schools programme. But ACE was effectively “asking us to step in and fix” the decimation of arts and music education in schools, he said. “Music in the classroom is more or less gone. It's not good enough. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, when we were much poorer, there was brilliant music provision in schools, and every child got the opportunity to build their creativity and confidence. That's no longer there. “We can go into classrooms, we can complement, but it's not enough. We can reach thousands of young people but what about those we're not getting to. The only way that will be fixed is through the school system.” John Tusa, who ran the Barbican arts centre for 22 years, said ACE had stopped being an advocate for the arts and had become a regulator. “And the trouble with the regulators is that they interfere and they micromanage,” he said. Championing local and community arts projects was valuable, but “unless you have the greatest art, the best art, that people want to follow, it's unlikely that you will get a strong community base. And [ACE] seem to have decided that they hate excellence.” The council should recognise “a wonderful continuum, that starts at the top and goes all the way down to the pleasant and the humdrum and the community at the bottom, and they are all connected”. Few people in arts institutions agreed with ACE's strategy, but were reluctant to voice criticisms because they depended on public funding, Tusa said. “But we really need an open debate about whether ACE delivers the best possible cultural experience for society as a whole.” The government has ordered a review of ACE, which distributes more than £500m of public money and more than £250m of national lottery money annually, and employs more than 650 people. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said the review would be the first step to restore “people's connection with the arts and culture in every region of the country”. Responding to Gilhooly's comments, Henley said: “The idea that we don't believe in, celebrate, invest in classical music is nonsense. We are here for every art form, every geography, every type of music. “We're [supporting] world class, internationally significant work and a network of grassroots live music venues in towns across the country. They're all equally as important as each other.” In its 2023-2026 funding round, ACE allocated £220m to classical music and opera organisations, £92m to dance companies that work with orchestras and large ensembles, and £129m to venues and festivals that include classical music and opera in their output. The Let's Create strategy that underpins ACE's decision-making was intended to support the opportunity for everyone to develop their creativity and experience high quality cultural work. That included “engagement and interaction with brilliant professional performers”, said Henley. The strategy was “not about dishonouring or not valuing the traditions that we have. We cherish those, but we also want to make sure that we take that wonderful repertoire and those wonderful performers to new audiences”. But, he added, there was a finite amount of money available. If organisations such as Wigmore Hall could secure income through the generosity of its supporters, public funding could be used elsewhere, he said. Wigmore Hall's ACE grant of £345,000 a year amounts to about 2% of its income, with the rest coming mainly from ticket sales, sponsors and donors. The 550-seat hall puts on about 600 concerts a year.
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Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximise the pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin's negotiating position in ceasefire talks, Ukrainian government and military analysts said. The move could give Russian President Vladimir Putin every reason to delay discussions about pausing the fighting in favour of seeking more land, the Ukrainian officials said, renewing their country's repeated arguments that Russia has no intention of engaging in meaningful dialogue to end the war. With the spring fighting season drawing near, the Kremlin is eyeing a multi-pronged push across the 621-mile front line, according to the analysts and military commanders. Citing intelligence reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is getting ready for new offensives in the northeast Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizizhia regions. “They're dragging out the talks and trying to get the US stuck in endless and pointless discussions about fake ‘conditions' just to buy time and then try to grab more land,” Mr Zelensky said on Thursday in a visit to Paris. “Putin wants to negotiate over territory from a stronger position.” Russia has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting, and the feasibility of a partial ceasefire on the Black Sea was thrown into doubt after Kremlin negotiators imposed far-reaching conditions. Battlefield success is clearly in Mr Putin's mind. “On the entire front line, the strategic initiative is completely in the hands of the Russian armed forces,” Mr Putin said on Thursday at a forum in the Arctic port of Murmansk. “Our troops, our guys are moving forward and liberating one territory after another, one settlement after another, every day.” Ukrainian military commanders said Russia recently stepped up attacks to improve its tactical positions ahead of the expected broader offensive. “They need time until May, that's all,” said Ukrainian military analyst Pavlo Narozhnyi, who works with soldiers and learns about intelligence from them. In the north, Russian and North Korean soldiers have nearly deprived Kyiv of an essential bargaining chip by retaking most of Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian soldiers staged a daring incursion last year. Battles have also escalated along the eastern front in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. A concern among some commanders is whether Russia might divert battle-hardened forces from Kursk to other parts of the east. “It will be hard. “The forces from Kursk will come on a high from their wins there,” said a Ukrainian battalion commander in the Donetsk region, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe his concerns. “They are preparing offensive actions on the front that should last from six to nine months, almost all of 2025,” said Ukrainian military analyst Oleksii Hetman, who has connections to the military's general staff. Russia entered negotiations with a clear advantage in the war. Now, after recapturing 80% of its territory in the Kursk region ahead of talks, its forces have intensified their fighting across other parts of the front line. “The number of clashes on the front line is not decreasing,” Mr Hetman said. “If they wanted to stop the war, their actions certainly don't show it.” Russia ramped up reconnaissance missions to find and destroy firing positions, drone systems and other capabilities that could impede a future onslaught, two Ukrainian commanders said. “These can be all signs that an attack is being prepared in the near future,” Mr Hetman said. Fighting also intensified in the eastern city of Pokrovsk, one of Ukraine's main defensive strongholds and a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region. Its capture would bring Russia closer to its stated aim of capturing the entire region. “The Russians were significantly exhausted over the past two months. During 10 days of March, they took a sort of pause,” military spokesman Major Viktor Trehubov said of the situation in Pokrovsk. A Ukrainian soldier with the call sign “Italian” said Russia was conducting intensive reconnaissance in his area of responsibility in the Pokrovsk region. Radio intercepts and intelligence show a buildup of forces in the area around Selidove, a city in the Pokrovsk region, and the creation of ammunition reserves, he said. The buildup includes large armoured vehicles, and the many new call signs overheard in radio transmissions suggest that fresh forces are coming in, he said. Further south, a military blog run by Mikhail Zvinchuk, a former officer of the Russian defence ministry's press section, noted last week that Russian troops recently unleashed a new offensive west of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region. The offensive will allow Russian forces to move toward the city of Zaporizhzhia and “force the enemy to redeploy its troops from other sectors, leaving Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka badly protected”, the blog known as Rybar said, adding that the new offensive “could be the first step toward the liberation of the Zaporizhzhia region”. On Friday, Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine, said the situation in the region is fraught after Russia amassed more forces to conduct assaults with small groups of infantry. “The tactic of using these small groups brings results to Russia” in other parts of the front line, he said.
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Manage your account Experts say that the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on Friday was likely the strongest to hit the country in decades, with disaster modelling suggesting thousands could be dead. Automatic assessments from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the shallow 7.7-magnitude quake northwest of the central Myanmar city of Sagaing triggered a red alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. "High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," it said, locating the epicentre near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay, home to more than a million people. Myanmar's ruling junta said on Saturday morning that the number killed had passed 1,000, with more than 2,000 injured. However, the USGS analysis said there was a 35 percent chance that possible fatalities could be in the range of 10,000-100,000 people. The USGS offered a similar likelihood that the financial damage could total tens of thousands of millions of dollars, warning that it might exceed the GDP of Myanmar. Weak infrastructure will complicate relief efforts in the isolated, military-ruled state, where rescue services and the healthcare system have already been ravaged by four years of civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021. - Dangerous fault - Bill McGuire, emeritus professor of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London (UCL), said it was "probably the biggest earthquake on the Myanmar mainland in three-quarters of a century". A 6.7-magnitude aftershock struck minutes after the first and McGuire warned that "more can be expected". Rebecca Bell, a tectonics expert at Imperial College London (ICL), suggested it was a side-to-side "strike-slip" of the Sagaing Fault. This is where the Indian tectonic plate, to the west, meets the Sunda plate that forms much of Southeast Asia -- a fault similar in scale and movement to the San Andreas Fault in California. "The Sagaing fault is very long, 1,200 kilometres (745 miles), and very straight," Bell said. "The straight nature means earthquakes can rupture over large areas -- and the larger the area of the fault that slips, the larger the earthquake." Earthquakes in such cases can be "particularly destructive", Bell added, explaining that since the quake takes place at a shallow depth, its seismic energy has dissipated little by the time it reaches populated areas above. That causes "a lot of shaking at the surface", Bell said. - Building boom - Myanmar has been hit by powerful quakes in the past. There have been more than 14 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or above in the past century, including a magnitude 6.8 earthquake near Mandalay in 1956, said Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey. Ian Watkinson, from the department of earth sciences at Royal Holloway University of London, said what had changed in recent decades was the "boom in high-rise buildings constructed from reinforced concrete". Myanmar has been riven by years of conflict and there is a low level of building design enforcement. "Critically, during all previous magnitude 7 or larger earthquakes along the Sagaing Fault, Myanmar was relatively undeveloped, with mostly low-rise timber-framed buildings and brick-built religious monuments," Watkinson said. "Today's earthquake is the first test of modern Myanmar's infrastructure against a large, shallow-focus earthquake close to its major cities." Baptie said that at least 2.8 million people in Myanmar were in hard-hit areas where most lived in buildings "constructed from timber and unreinforced brick masonry" that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking. "The usual mantra is that 'earthquakes don't kill people; collapsing infrastructure does'," said Ilan Kelman, an expert in disaster reduction at UCL. "Governments are responsible for planning regulations and building codes. This disaster exposes what governments of Burma/Myanmar failed to do long before the earthquake, which would have saved lives during the shaking." - Skyscraper checks - Strong tremors also rocked neighbouring Thailand, where a 30-storey skyscraper under construction was reduced to a pile of dusty concrete, trapping workers in the debris. Christian Malaga-Chuquitaype, from ICL's civil and environmental engineering department, said the nature of the ground in Bangkok contributed to the impact on the city, despite being some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the epicentre in Myanmar. "Even though Bangkok is far from active faults, its soft soil amplifies the shaking," he said. "This affects especially tall buildings during distant earthquakes." Malaga-Chuquitaype said the construction techniques in Bangkok favouring "flat slabs" -- where floors are held only by columns without using strengthening beams, like a table supported only by legs -- were a "problematic design". He said that initial video analysis of the collapsed tower block in Bangkok suggested this type of construction technique had been used. "It performs poorly during earthquakes, often failing in a brittle and sudden (almost explosive) manner," he said. Roberto Gentile, a catastrophe risk modelling expert from UCL, said the "dramatic collapse" of the Bangkok tower block meant that "other tall buildings in the city may require a thorough assessment". Bangkok city authorities said they will deploy more than 100 engineers to inspect buildings for safety after receiving more than 2,000 reports of damage. bur-pjm/pbt
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded Yemen overnight into Saturday, reportedly killing at least one person as the American military acknowledged earlier bombing a major military site in the heart of Sanaa controlled by the Houthi rebels. This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows four B-2 stealth bombers parked at Camp Thunder Cove in Diego Garcia on Saturday, March 29, 2025, as a U.S. airstrike campaign continues against Yemen's Houthi rebels. (Planet Labs PBC via AP) Houthi supporters chant slogans during a weekly anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday March, 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman) This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows an airstrip on Mayun Island, also known as Perim Island, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen on Friday, March 28, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP) This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows an airstrip on Mayun Island, also known as Perim Island, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen on Friday, March 28, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP) Houthi supporters hold signs during a weekly anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday March, 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman) Houthi supporters display a giant Palestinian flag during a weekly anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday March, 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman) In this image made from video, smoke rises after a blast in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded Yemen overnight into Saturday, reportedly killing at least one person as the American military acknowledged earlier bombing a major military site in the heart of Sanaa controlled by the Houthi rebels. The full extent of the damage and possible casualties wasn't immediately clear. The attacks followed a night of airstrikes early Friday that appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15. An Associated Press review has found the new American operation under President Donald Trump appears more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden, as the U.S. moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities. Meanwhile, satellite photos analyzed by the AP show a mysterious airstrip just off Yemen in a key maritime chokepoint now appears ready to accept flights and B-2 bombers within striking distance of the country Saturday. The strikes into Saturday targeted multiple areas in Yemen under the control of the Iranian-backed Houthis, including the capital, Sanaa, and in the governorates of al-Jawf and Saada, rebel-controlled media reported. The strikes in Saada killed one person and wounded four others, the Houthi-run SABA news agency said. SABA identified the person killed as a civilian. Houthi fighters and their allies often aren't in uniform. However, analysts believe the rebels may be undercounting the fatalities given the strikes have been targeting military and intelligence sites run by the rebels. Many of the strikes haven't been fully acknowledged by the Houthis — or the U.S. military — while the rebels also tightly control access on the ground. One strike early Friday, however, has been confirmed by the U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees its Mideast operations. It posted a black-and-white video early Saturday showing an airstrike targeting a site in Yemen. While it didn't identify the location, an AP analysis of the footage's details corresponds to a known strike Friday in Sanaa. The footage shows the bomb striking the military's general command headquarters held by the Houthis, something the rebels have not reported. The Houthi-controlled Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry in Sanaa separately said U.S. strikes Friday destroyed “broadcasting stations, communication towers and the messaging network” in Amran and Saada governorates. The strikes in Amran around the Jebel Aswad, or “Black Mountain,” had appeared particularly intense. The new campaign of airstrikes, which the Houthis now say have killed at least 58 people, started after the rebels threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels in the past have had a loose definition of what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted as well. The Houthis had targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors during their campaign targeting ships from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships, though none have been hit so far. The attacks greatly raised the Houthis' profile as they faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting any dissent and aid workers at home amid Yemen's decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world's poorest nation. The Houthis have begun threatening both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two American allies in the region, over the U.S. strikes. That's even as the nations, which have sought a separate peace with the Houthis, have stayed out of the new U.S. airstrike campaign. An AP analysis of satellite photos from Saturday shows the American military has moved at least four long-range stealth B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — a base far outside of the range of the rebels that avoids using allies' Mideast bases. Three had been earlier seen there this week. That means a fourth of all the nuclear-capable B-2s that America has in its arsenal are now deployed to the base. The Biden administration used the B-2 with conventional bombs against Houthi targets last year. The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman has launched attacks from the Red Sea and the American military plans to bring the carrier USS Carl Vinson from Asia as well. Meanwhile, France said its sole aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, was in Djibouti, an East African nation on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The French have shot down Houthi drones in the past, but they are not part of the American campaign there. Satellite images Friday from Planet Labs PBC show an airstrip now appears ready on Mayun Island, a volcanic outcropping in the center of the Bab el-Mandeb. The images showed the airstrip had been painted with the designation markings “09” and “27” to the airstrip's east and west respectively. A Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthis had acknowledged having “equipment” on Mayun, also known as Perim. However, air and sea traffic to Mayun has linked the construction to the UAE, which backs a secessionist force in Yemen known as the Southern Transitional Council. World powers have recognized the island's strategic location for hundreds of years, especially with the opening of the Suez Canal linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The work on Mayun follows the completion of a similar airstrip likely constructed by the UAE on Abd al-Kuri Island, which rises out of the Indian Ocean near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Authorities in Nepal have over 100 people as the government investigates the deadly violence that occurred during a protest march organised by the supporters of the former king Gyanendra Shah, seeking the restoration of the constitutional monarchy in the Himalayan country. Parts of Kathmandu on Friday witnessed a tense situation after pro-monarchy protesters pelted stones, attacked the office of a political party, set fire to vehicles and looted shops in the capital. Two people, including a television cameraman and a protester, were killed in the clashes that injured at least 112 people, authorities said, after police used force to stop the stone-throwing crowd from marching towards the parliament building in the capital Kathmandu. The Army was later called out to control the situation. Cars Set On Fire, Shops Looted As Nepal Pro-Monarchy Protest Turns Violent https://t.co/yMv3Hc2gUG pic.twitter.com/jvHym0Fwxo Authorities imposed a curfew in parts of the capital at 4.25 pm on Friday, which was lifted from 7 am on Saturday, according to a notice issued by Kathmandu District Administration Office. So far, police have arrested 105 agitators who were involved in burning houses and vandalising vehicles during Friday's demonstration. Those arrested included the general secretary of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Dhawal Shumsher Rana, and a central member of the party, Rabindra Mishra, among others. A post shared by NDTV WORLD (@ndtvworld) The protesting monarchists were demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy and a Hindu kingdom. The demonstration turned violent after Durga Prasai, the convenor of the agitation, broke the security barricade, riding a bulletproof vehicle, and headed towards Baneshwor, where the Parliament building is located. Prasai, the key person behind Friday's violent demonstration, is at large, Superintendent of Police of Kathmandu District Police Range Apil Bohara said. Police said officers fired rubber bullets and live rounds into the air, after using tear gas and water cannons against the crowds. Some demonstrators pelted stones at police, according to reports. "A protester has died of a gunshot wound," police spokesman Dinesh Kumar Acharya told news agency AFP. Acharya said that a journalist died after protesters set the building he was filming from on fire. During the violent demonstration, 14 buildings were set on fire and nine were vandalised. Nine government vehicles were torched and six private vehicles were vandalised, according to authorities. According to the police, 53 police personnel, 22 Armed Police Force personnel and 35 protestors were injured in Friday's incident. Protesters also attacked the Kantipur Television building and Annapurna Media House in the Tinkune area. "This is sheer vandalism, arson, looting and anarchy. It cannot be a protest," cabinet spokesman Prithvi Subba Gurung, the minister of communication and information technology, told news agency Reuters. A specially elected assembly scrapped the 239-year-old monarchy in 2008, under an accord that ended a Maoist insurgency which had killed 17,000 people in 1996-2006 and turned Nepal into a secular, federal republic from a Hindu kingdom. The last king of the Himalayan nation, 77-year-old Gyanendra, has lived with his family in a private house in Kathmandu as a commoner since being toppled. In the 16 years since the abolition of the monarchy, Nepal has seen the formation of 14 governments. The political instability has stymied economic growth, prompting millions of young people to seek work abroad, mainly in the oil-rich Middle East, South Korea and Malaysia. (Source: Reuters) Public frustration has been rising over the failure of successive governments to deliver on commitments to develop the economy, which remains reliant on aid and tourism. But the pro-monarchy moment gained momentum after the former king appealed for support in a video message telecast on Democracy Day (February 19). Following this, the pro-monarchy activists also held a rally on March 9 in support of the former king, who landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport from Pokhara after visiting religious places in different parts of the country. Before violence at the rally, a protester, Mina Subedi, told AFP that "things have only deteriorated" in recent years. "The country should have developed significantly. People should have had better job opportunities, peace and security and good governance. We should have been corruption-free," the 55-year-old said. Opposition parties had meanwhile marshalled thousands more people at a counter-demonstration elsewhere in the capital to "safeguard the republican system". "Nepalis will not return to the past," said Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', a former guerrilla chief who led the decade-long Maoist insurgency before entering politics and has since served as prime minister three times. (Source: Reuters) "Maybe they have dared to raise their heads because us republic supporters have not been able to deliver as per the wishes and wants of the people." 'Prachanda' also demanded the arrest of the abdicated, saying he was behind the violence that killed two. "It has become crystal clear that Gyanendra Shah (the last reigning King of Nepal) is behind all these acts. Gyanendra Shah's intent is culpable. It is time for the government to take strict action. Investigation should be conducted to bring the criminals to justice, and Gyanendra Shah cannot be spared- given absolute freedom, it is unacceptable for the Nepali citizens, and the government should be serious about this issue," the former PM said. Meanwhile, Gyanendra Shah, 77, had largely refrained from commenting on Nepal's fractious politics, but recently made several public appearances with supporters. Shah was crowned in 2001 after his elder brother, King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah, and his family were killed in a palace massacre that wiped out most of the royal family. His coronation took place as the Maoist insurgency was raging in far-flung corners of Nepal. (Source: Reuters) Shah suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament in 2005, triggering a democratic uprising in which the Maoists sided with Nepal's political establishment to orchestrate huge street protests. That eventually precipitated the end of the conflict, with parliament voting in 2008 to abolish Nepal's Hindu monarchy. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks, including Mount Everest.
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Subscribe Now! Get features like OpenAI's ChatGPT has gained massive traction over the past week with its brand new feature that allows users to create artwork inspired by Studio Ghibli. However, the feature has not yet been rolled out to free users. One has to pay an amount per month for ChatGPT subscription to create these Japanese anime style images. ChatGPT has two premium levels, ChatGPT Plus and Pro. To get a gist of what benefits are included in the premium subscription, here are the things you will get in the free version: Now, the ChatGPT plus subscription costs $20 per month, which is approximately around ₹1,710/month. The Plus version was rolled out in India back in 2023. Sam Altman's OpenAI aimed to increase productivity and creativity with expanded access to artificial intelligence (AI) with the Plus version. Under the Plus version, a user would have access to everything in the free edition. Additionally, a premium subscriber would get: To further add to the premium features, OpenAI launched another subscription tier for its chatbot, ChatGPT. The new plan, called ChatGPT Pro, is priced at $200 per month, which is roughly ₹17,107/month. In addition to providing access to every feature under ChatGPT Plus, the Pro version also gives unlimited access to all reasoning models and GPT-4o. The response time of both the premium versions, Plus and Pro, is much faster in comparison to the free version. The Pro version offers unlimited and expanded access to all the listed features.
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Widespread destruction has been reported in Mandalay, the country's second-most populous city. The death toll in the powerful earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday has jumped to more than 1,600, the country's ruling military junta said Saturday, with another 3,408 injured. At least 10 more were killed in neighboring Thailand, where far-reaching tremors brought down a skyscraper in Bangkok, burying dozens of workers. The scale of devastation in Myanmar only began to come into focus Saturday as limited communications returned to the most affected areas. International aid began to trickle into the isolated country even as concerns remained over the junta's willingness to allow humanitarian groups to operate freely amid its ongoing civil war with pro-democracy and ethnic rebels. Though Myanmar lies in a major seismic belt, the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck at the relatively shallow depth of 6 miles, is one of the strongest that the country has seen in decades and is shaping up to be among its deadliest. As many as 20 million people live in the areas seriously affected by the quake, and many are now living without shelter or access to clean water, according to preliminary estimates from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Damage has been most acute in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-most populous city and the former capital of the Burmese royal empire, which was about 11 miles from the quake's epicenter, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. At least 694 people have been killed and 1,670 injured in the Mandalay region, military officials said Saturday. An independent network of medics, which partnered with a nonprofit, Data for Myanmar, similarly said hundreds have been killed in Mandalay based on preliminary counts. There's been “significant structural damage” in the city, including the “collapse of multistory buildings, including religious sites,” said the organizations. Cars were lined up outside cemeteries in the city as families struggled to find space to bury the dead, residents said. The number of casualties could continue to grow significantly, according to predictive modeling by the U.S. Geological Survey. “Death tolls are increasing each and every hour,” said Zin Mar Aung, minister of foreign affairs for the National Unity Government, a parallel administration made up of pro-democracy opposition leaders. The quake struck a swath of central Myanmar that includes areas that are junta-controlled, rebel-controlled and contested. After Mandalay, the second-worst-hit city appears to be the capital and seat of the junta, Naypyidaw, with at least 96 dead, said military officials. Ethnic rebel groups and pro-democracy groups said most of their command centers, in the country's jungled borderlands, sustained limited damage. After declaring a state of emergency in six regions, including Naypyidaw and Mandalay, the junta's military chief on Friday issued a rare appeal for international assistance, saying he was extending “an open invitation” to nations willing to help. China on Saturday sent a disaster relief team of 37 people, according to the state-run CCTV. Singapore and Malaysia also sent disaster relief personnel, and India transported relief goods including tents and blankets to Yangon, authorities said. By Saturday night, at least three international search and rescue teams were working on the ground in Mandalay to extract survivors, said Annette Hearns, the deputy head for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Myanmar. Concerns remain over whether the junta will permit aid to reach those who need it, particularly in contested or rebel-controlled areas. The military in 2021 ousted a democratically elected government and violently quashed nationwide protests, sparking a civil war. In recent years, it has dramatically limited the movement of international aid groups inside Myanmar and, in previous disasters, prevented aid from reaching rebel-controlled areas, watchdog groups say. It has also blocked journalists and watchdog groups from entering the country, impairing independent assessments of major crises, including natural disasters. Though the regime has now promised access to international humanitarians, “we have to be worried about whether this will be possible,” said Richard Horsey, a senior adviser to Myanmar for the International Crisis Group. “We now have to test what this regime has said, which is that it has opened the doors to aid,” he said. In the hours after the quake, the military continued to carry out airstrikes in contested territory, said rebel leaders and watchdog groups. Michael Dunford, Myanmar's country director for the United Nations World Food Program, said the agency was asking the junta for full access to address food needs across the country. “It'll be necessary to facilitate that if in fact we'll be asked to operate as required,” Dunford said in a call from Naypyidaw. The agency was also conducting a “rapid needs assessment” and expected to have teams in Mandalay by Sunday. Mandalay's airport was battered during the quake and has suspended operations. Major highways to the city have been damaged, preventing large aid convoys from being able to enter. Much of the city is without electricity or internet, and many residents spent Friday night sleeping on the streets and in empty fields in fear of aftershocks, people told their families in patchy dispatches. “It's like a death city,” Nat Khat, 34, said from a town outside Mandalay, adding that his parents inside the city told him no aid, either from international groups or the junta, has yet to be distributed. “People are just helping one another,” he said. The pace of rescue efforts has also been painfully slow, some residents said. Rescue teams led by the junta are “failing,” said Zin Mar Aung, the NUG official. Many government services across Myanmar have been crippled since the start of the military coup, when thousands of civil servants chose not to work for the junta-led administration and in some instances picked up arms to fight or decamped to rebel-controlled areas. Local nonprofits and civil society organizations that would have helped with relief efforts have also been shuttered. The NUG is looking to mobilize its network of aid groups to help with relief efforts but is wary these groups could be subject to arrest or violence by the junta. “It's difficult to believe and trust the junta that our people will be safe,” Zin Mar Aung said.
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Imagine entering a secret door to a world of adventure and wonder, where a plucky child can take on challenges and puzzles that seem leagues greater than himself. That's a standard premise for any video game. But now imagine that game is one where the protagonist takes on the superhero identity of Rabbiman, and suddenly it opens the door to a more unique gaming experience.Rabbiman Adventures is a video game available on mobiles and has recently been released on the popular PC gaming platform Steam. Developed by Charity Fund "770", Israchem LTD, and Teamtiferet Team, the game is similar to its contemporaries with its colorful visuals, 3D-platforming gameplay interspersed with puzzles, and a 10-hour campaign. But where it stands out is the nearly unprecedented Jewish representation in gaming and the unique story behind it.The Magazine sat down with some of the people behind the development of Rabbiman Adventures to learn about this ambitious foray of Judaism into the video game industry. The origins of ‘Rabbiman Adventures'Rabbiman Adventures has had an interesting development story, beginning with the Chabad movement in Russia.It started as the idea of Rabbi Yehuda Davydov, founder and chairman of the 770 charitable foundation. This organization is a behemoth and is regularly active in Jewish life throughout Russia, from crafting mezuzot and building mikvaot (ritual baths) to aiding in the distribution of tefillin and kosher food. This is in line with Chabad's values of Jewish outreach, as well as the 10-point mitzvah campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to raise Jewish awareness and observance.One of these 10 points is chinuch, education. It is the idea that every Jew should have a Jewish education and learn about their faith. Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Rabbiman Adventures is a video game available on mobiles and has recently been released on the popular PC gaming platform Steam. Developed by Charity Fund "770", Israchem LTD, and Teamtiferet Team, the game is similar to its contemporaries with its colorful visuals, 3D-platforming gameplay interspersed with puzzles, and a 10-hour campaign. But where it stands out is the nearly unprecedented Jewish representation in gaming and the unique story behind it.The Magazine sat down with some of the people behind the development of Rabbiman Adventures to learn about this ambitious foray of Judaism into the video game industry. The origins of ‘Rabbiman Adventures'Rabbiman Adventures has had an interesting development story, beginning with the Chabad movement in Russia.It started as the idea of Rabbi Yehuda Davydov, founder and chairman of the 770 charitable foundation. This organization is a behemoth and is regularly active in Jewish life throughout Russia, from crafting mezuzot and building mikvaot (ritual baths) to aiding in the distribution of tefillin and kosher food. This is in line with Chabad's values of Jewish outreach, as well as the 10-point mitzvah campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to raise Jewish awareness and observance.One of these 10 points is chinuch, education. It is the idea that every Jew should have a Jewish education and learn about their faith. Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ The Magazine sat down with some of the people behind the development of Rabbiman Adventures to learn about this ambitious foray of Judaism into the video game industry. The origins of ‘Rabbiman Adventures'Rabbiman Adventures has had an interesting development story, beginning with the Chabad movement in Russia.It started as the idea of Rabbi Yehuda Davydov, founder and chairman of the 770 charitable foundation. This organization is a behemoth and is regularly active in Jewish life throughout Russia, from crafting mezuzot and building mikvaot (ritual baths) to aiding in the distribution of tefillin and kosher food. This is in line with Chabad's values of Jewish outreach, as well as the 10-point mitzvah campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to raise Jewish awareness and observance.One of these 10 points is chinuch, education. It is the idea that every Jew should have a Jewish education and learn about their faith. Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ The origins of ‘Rabbiman Adventures'Rabbiman Adventures has had an interesting development story, beginning with the Chabad movement in Russia.It started as the idea of Rabbi Yehuda Davydov, founder and chairman of the 770 charitable foundation. This organization is a behemoth and is regularly active in Jewish life throughout Russia, from crafting mezuzot and building mikvaot (ritual baths) to aiding in the distribution of tefillin and kosher food. This is in line with Chabad's values of Jewish outreach, as well as the 10-point mitzvah campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to raise Jewish awareness and observance.One of these 10 points is chinuch, education. It is the idea that every Jew should have a Jewish education and learn about their faith. Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Rabbiman Adventures has had an interesting development story, beginning with the Chabad movement in Russia.It started as the idea of Rabbi Yehuda Davydov, founder and chairman of the 770 charitable foundation. This organization is a behemoth and is regularly active in Jewish life throughout Russia, from crafting mezuzot and building mikvaot (ritual baths) to aiding in the distribution of tefillin and kosher food. This is in line with Chabad's values of Jewish outreach, as well as the 10-point mitzvah campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to raise Jewish awareness and observance.One of these 10 points is chinuch, education. It is the idea that every Jew should have a Jewish education and learn about their faith. Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ It started as the idea of Rabbi Yehuda Davydov, founder and chairman of the 770 charitable foundation. This organization is a behemoth and is regularly active in Jewish life throughout Russia, from crafting mezuzot and building mikvaot (ritual baths) to aiding in the distribution of tefillin and kosher food. This is in line with Chabad's values of Jewish outreach, as well as the 10-point mitzvah campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to raise Jewish awareness and observance.One of these 10 points is chinuch, education. It is the idea that every Jew should have a Jewish education and learn about their faith. Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ One of these 10 points is chinuch, education. It is the idea that every Jew should have a Jewish education and learn about their faith. Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Rabbi Davydov's wife, 770 CEO Elina Ilyasova, explained to the Magazine that this value is what spurred them in the direction that led to Rabbiman Adventures.“At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ “At first, we started to produce Jewish books for children,” she said. “But after that, my husband had a dream about a Jewish cartoon.”This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ This project would eventually become known as the Secret Room which, according to Ilyasova, was groundbreaking. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter “In Israel and in America, they don't have normal cartoons about Judaism for kids,” she said, noting that she wanted to make exactly that.The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ The Secret Room series tells the story of a Modern Orthodox Jewish family with three children: an older brother, a middle sister, and a youngest sibling named Yasha. The three of them can enter the titular secret room, the entrance to a fantastical world, where Yasha is able to take on the guise of Rabbiman.The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ The Secret Room, available in Russian and English on Chabad's streaming platform, Toveedo, has three seasons and a total of 40 seven-minute episodes. It seeks to tackle Jewish themes and Judaism in a way that is educational and entertaining. The first season focuses on the Jewish holidays, while the third season discusses mitzvot and morality, such as respecting one's parents and being kind to animals. “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ “We're very Chabad, but we're also always trying to think outside the box,” expalined David Vilednik, COO of Charity Fund "770" and CEO of Israchem LTD.“We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ “We met one guy named Gershom Vaisman in the Jewish community in Moscow who, before he was a ba'al teshuva [a Jew from a secular background who becomes religiously observant], worked in a company and made video games. We started speaking with him and tried to make a game for Jewish kids. They're already playing games like Sonic, Super Mario, and so on, and we needed to give them a good alternative.” PLAYERS CAN utilize a number of items in ‘Rabbiman Adventures,' such as a glide-inducing tallit, to explore a world inspired by Jewish values. (credit: Israchem LTD)So what is ‘Rabbiman Adventures'?Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Players in Rabbiman Adventures take control of Yasha, the titular Rabbiman, as he explores a magical forest he must save. He does this through the use of his tallit (prayer shawl), which can be used for long jumps, and a multipurpose hat for puzzle-solving, teleportation, and more.The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ The game currently has two main game worlds with several levels, one based on Tu Bishvat and the other on Hanukkah.The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ The gameplay is very reminiscent of other 3D platformers, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which makes it a very accessible game for newcomers.One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ One way the game stands out, though, is through the music, which has a soundtrack of hassidic niggunim (tunes) with modern remixes. In addition, Vilednik noted that several other tips and hints throughout the game are rooted in Hassidism, Pirkei Avot, and other Jewish sources.But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ But what may be the most remarkable aspect of the game is how accessible it is for players.At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ At a time when many video games increasingly strive for better graphics and music to the point that it takes the latest hardware to effectively play them, Rabbiman Adventures opted to make it playable by everyone.“Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ “Many of our target audience is in Russia, and they may not have access to the latest iPhone,” Vilednik explained. “It was our goal that children in Russia, Belarus, and everywhere else in the world can take their or their parents' smartphones and play Rabbiman [Adventures].”All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ All of this reflects Chabad's general values of outreach, connecting with Jews all over the world regardless of background or level of observance.“We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ “We believe that even the small things like the niggun in Rabbiman Adventures or small tips from Pirkei Avot that children can hear in the game can change their family, can lead to a player to ask their parents to go to synagogue to learn more about Judaism,” Vilednik said.Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Next up, the team wants to help make Rabbiman Adventures even bigger, focusing on marketing and collaborations and building the game up further. The game is already available in Hebrew, with Israeli actor Yuval Mebulbal being involved in the project.Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Their other big project is a feature film based on the Secret Room. After that, the goal is to make more games and work on merchandising from their existing intellectual property. The goal for all of it, though, is to continue the goal of education through cartoons and video games.“We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ “We hope to use AI to make more content, where Rabbiman can teach more about everything from physics and mathematics to the weekly Torah portion,” Vilednik said.It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ It remains to be seen where the future will take Rabbiman Adventures, but it is clear that this was a long time coming, building off years of previous efforts in making Jewish educational content in outside-the-box ways. The doors to the secret room have opened, and a new world of entertaining and educational efforts relating to Judaism is on the horizon. WITH ITS colorful, whimsical art style and its gameplay hybrid of platforming and puzzle solving, ‘Rabbiman Adventures' fits right in with many of its contemporaries. (credit: Israchem LTD)Jewish representation in gamingJews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Jews haven't seen much representation in video games over the years compared to other demographics. And when they are present, they tend to be side characters or a subtle aspect of a character that isn't as relevant to the plot.For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ For example, some video game franchises such as the Mafia and Grand Theft Auto series have Jewish characters, but they are usually meant to fill in the niche of “Jewish mobster” that crime dramas often have. Games like Insomniac's Spider-Man feature plenty of Jews in the background, but that's intended to fit with the overall character of New York City.Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Historical games, on occasion, feature Jews, but these are also few and far between. Despite the popularity of World War II as a setting for video games, the Holocaust itself is rarely touched upon, at least until games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order and Call of Duty: WW II attempted to address the subject.Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Wolfenstein, in fact, was a trailblazer for Jews in gaming, even if most people never realized it. B.J. Blazkowicz, the protagonist of this highly successful and influential franchise about a soldier fighting Nazis as they utilize hi-tech weaponry or supernatural capabilities, has Jewish ancestry, though this was never stated outright until 2017's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ This is also the case for Hal “Otacon” Emmerich of the widely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, whose Jewishness is seldom, if ever, mentioned in the games themselves.Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Some Jewish characters in gaming are only Jewish by technicality or outside the medium of gaming itself. For example, the superhero Batman is no stranger to video games. However, the fact that Bruce Wayne is Jewish according to Halacha, as his mother, Martha Kane, was Jewish, is never discussed in gaming and barely ever in comics, either. In fact, Bruce Wayne's religious background seems to be that of a lapsed Episcopalian.The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ The real starting point for Jews in gaming was the 2006 indie game The Shivah. A point and click adventure game, players take control of Rabbi Russel Stone. The leader of a diminishing congregation, he is struggling in the face of modern Jewish ideas that he can't accept as he investigates the murder of a former member of his synagogue.As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ As a video game discussing Jews and Judaism, it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Some other games, such as 2022's Perfect Tides or 2023's Mask of the Rose, have come to feature Jewish topics, themes, or characters.Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ Rabbiman Adventures is the next step in this tradition as it fully attempts to realize themes of Judaism in video game form.For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/ For more information, visit http://www.rabbiman.com/
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Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Radio Schuman This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. Brussels, My Love? From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No Comment No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. My Wildest Prediction Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries The Big Question Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Water Matters Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. Climate Now We give you the latest climate facts from the world's leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. FCC chief Brendan Carr investigates The Walt Disney Company as Trump moves to eliminate all manner of DEI efforts across both public and private sectors. The Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) — the top regulator for television and satellite content in the US — says it is investigating The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiary ABC television network to determine whether their employment practices are in line with the commission's equal employment opportunity regulations. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has written a letter to Disney's Chief Executive Officer, Robert Alan Iger, informing him of the decision. Disney says it will cooperate with the agency during the investigation. Carr ordered the inquiry amid suspicions Disney and ABC are hiring new staff based on 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion' (DEI) practices. In a letter to Disney, Carr appreciated the company's track record "churning out box office and programming successes" but pointed out that the company's attitude towards quality, based on merit, had changed. “Disney has now been embroiled in rounds of controversy surrounding its DEI policies,” he wrote without going into detail. In 2022, Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis were involved in a highly-publicised dispute. It revolved around a bill DeSantis supported that restricted certain instructions about sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms. Opponents decried the bill, calling it homophobic. Disney joined the chorus of criticism that led both sides into an open feud. The public spat ended last year. Carr says he wants to be sure Disney is not violating FCC regulations “by promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination.” He admitted the company had taken steps to ensure equal opportunities are given to candidates applying for positions, but added a detailed inquiry was still needed to ensure all standards are being met. Last month, Disney announced it had changed some policies, including eliminating a website designed to highlight personalities and stories from under-represented communities. Disney mellowed down some of the social messages that appear before the showing of movies in theatres. Instead of warnings that films include “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or culture,” the messages have been changed to “this program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions.” US President Donald Trump is not a fan of DEI practices. On his inauguration day, he signed an order — among a slew of executive orders — titled 'Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing'. The order effectively put an end to all DEI practices within the US federal government. Trump later ordered all federal DEI staff be placed on paid leave and eventually laid off. The new administration has taken an aggressive posture towards the media on several fronts. Just this week, there were court hearings on the shutdown of US media outlet 'Voice of America'. The 47th US president has also been entangled in a dispute with The Associated Press over how the news agency refers to the 'Gulf of Mexico', which Trump had moved to rename to the 'Gulf of America'. Carr has spearheaded the FCC into an activist role since Trump appointed him as its leader. The US agency currently has open investigations into popular networks and broadcasters, such as ABC, CBS and NBC. Many believe these investigations are politically motivated, as Trump had routinely attacked and labelled them as "fake news" merchants.
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Days after people, in hundreds of thousands, used OpenAI's image generator in the GPT‑4o model to create Studio Ghibli-inspired art on social media, fans of legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki and critics have expressed their disapproval of the trend and copyright concerns. On X (formerly Twitter), a tech columnist highlighted several "mind-blowing examples" of Studio Ghibli art created using OpenAI's latest text-to-image model, which is available only through ChatGPT's paid version. It's been 24 hours since OpenAI unexpectedly shook the AI image world with 4o image generation.Here are the 14 most mindblowing examples so far (100% AI-generated):1. Studio ghibli style memespic.twitter.com/E38mBnPnQh But not everyone was impressed, with one X user asking if they "truly value art so little that it's just a filter for your profile pic?" The person urged them to rather pay the artist and "make something real." I saw the beautiful 4K IMAX version of Princess Mononoke last night… then got out and saw this shit. Do you morons truly value art so little that it's just a filter for your profile pic? Pay a fucking artist and make something real you gremlins. https://t.co/A0wK0j54Fk Another person commented, "People act like this is a good thing but all the soul has been sucked out of society, we really are at the peak, nothing really matters anymore." People act like this is a good thing but all the soul has been sucked out of society, we really are at the peak, nothing really matters anymore A third user even hoped for Studio Ghibli to sue "everyone involved.” all this "ghibli trend" made me nauseous, I hope miyazaki sues everyone involved idc Not just that, several people pointed out how the AI tool was being used to generate controversial studio Ghibli-style AI art of events such as the 9/11 attack on the US in 2001 as well as the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. "With #Ghibli style even scary events look like cozy art," one X user wrote, sharing an AI-generated image of the attack on the Twin Towers. With #Ghibli style even scary events looks like cozy art pic.twitter.com/V10t1NrHgr Another user shared how people were "celebrating" Babri Masjid's demolition using the AI tool. Hindutva Twitter is celebrating the demolition of Babri Mosque in 1992 using this studio ghibli AI. https://t.co/41PnUSVRhF The assassination attempt on US President Donald Trump at an election rally last year was also among the AI images shared by some users. The best #ghibli pic ever @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/aT76Phq5Cf Copyright concerns The viral trend has also led to ethical concerns about AI tools trained over copyrighted creative works, The Associated Press reported. OpenAI has encouraged the 'Ghiblification' experiments on the internet, with its CEO Sam Altman changing his X profile picture into a Ghibli-style portrait. "The gpt-4o update is GOOD," he said in a post. the gpt-4o update is GOOD The company, which faces copyright lawsuits over its flagship chatbot, said its latest tool was taking a “conservative approach” to mimic the aesthetics of the individual artists. It claims to have added a "refusal which triggers when a user attempts to generate an image in the style of a living artist”. Still, it has permitted "broader studio styles" that have been used widely to generate "truly delightful and inspired original fan creations.” What Hayao Miyazaki said about AI As people went about reimagining themselves in Studio Ghibli world, an old video of its co-founder Hayao Miyazaki went viral. In the clip, the renowned filmmaker, known for masterpieces such as Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro, said the AI would not understand the real feelings of humans, adding it was an "insult to life itself". "I can't watch this stuff and find [it] interesting. Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever. I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all," Mr Miyazaki told FarOut Magazine. "I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself," he added. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Prince Harry reportedly learned of his father, King Charles III, recent hospital stay from the media instead of the palace. The monarch's youngest son was allegedly left in the dark until the news became public. Charles was admitted for a brief period due to temporary side effects from his ongoing cancer treatment. Buckingham Palace assured the public there was “no drama” and that the visit was part of his “treatment programme.” The “lonelier than ever” Prince Harry is said to be struggling with increasing isolation, as he rarely leaves his Montecito mansion. “First he was a spare to William, now he's increasingly looking like a spare to Meghan — and it's not a great look,” an insider told The Sun. ALSO READ| Prince Harry left the Royals in 2020 because Meghan Markle made him ‘too…' “He misses his family terribly, but no one is speaking to him any more. He just wants to go for a beer with the guys, but his only friends are just the husbands of Meghan's friends.” Several reports claimed that the palace chose not to inform Harry about Charles' hospital visit immediately, possibly to avoid alarming him while he was 5,000 miles away. On Friday, the monarch appeared in good spirits. While leaving Clarence House in London, he was seen smiling and waving as he boarded an Audi to drive to his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire. The Duke's last in-person meeting with King Charles was in February 2024, when he made a brief visit to the UK following his father's cancer diagnosis. The meeting lasted just 30 minutes before Charles left for Sandringham by helicopter. Harry's estrangement from Prince William has also deepened. Harry's visit to the UK for the funeral of their uncle, Robert Fellowes, last year reportedly saw little interaction between the brothers. Harry has made it clear that he will not return to the UK unless he wins his legal battle for 24-hour armed security. Some close to him worry that life in California is not what he truly wants. ALSO READ| What to know after Prince Harry resigned from his African charity “He used to love a night out in the pub and hanging out in the country with friends. Maybe he has grown into a different person, but do I think he'd really suit the Californian lifestyle? No. Now we've seen it all play out, what has that left him with? On the surface, an enviable lifestyle — but for the Harry I know, I can't imagine that gilded exile in California is where he wanted to end up,” a source told The Times.
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Whether it's Instagram or X, our social media feeds, at large, are in anime mode! Studio Ghibli portraits have taken the internet by storm in the last 48 hours, with people turning everything - from classic Bollywood stills to viral memes - into Japanese anime-inspired art. The sudden rise in trend comes after OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o rolled out a new feature that lets users not just generate images but also transform their pictures into Japanese anime style. But the feature is available exclusively to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, and Select subscription tiers. ChatGPT only allows a maximum of three animated images to free users. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create unlimited Ghibli-style images for free: Ghibli-style images via Gemini for a new image1. Go to the Gemini AI platform and login.2. In a chat box, give a brief description of the image you want to create.3. Submit your prompt.4. AI will generate an image and you can post it online.Ghibli-style images via Grok to convert your image1. Visit the Grok website or app.2. Upload your image by clicking on the paper clip icon.3. Ask the AI to 'Ghiblify' the image.4. A Ghibli-style image will be generated, and if unsatisfied, you can also edit the image. Other than these two, people can also look for third-party platforms such as DeepAI, Craiyon, and Playground AI. Just upload a picture with a detailed prompt of what you've envisioned or insert your own picture and ask them to convert it into Studio Ghibli style. What is Studio Ghibli? Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation company known for its high-quality animation and powerful storytelling. Founded by Hayao Miyazaki, the studio is known for its acclaimed animated films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service among others. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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He had to channel his grief over losing fellow skaters in the D.C. plane crash. 5 min read After More Than 2 Years Away From Skating, Alysa Liu Is Now a Gold Medalist From The Athletic Advertisement Utah Bans Most Flags, Including Pride, at Schools and Government Buildings The law, one of the most restrictive governing flag displays, is part of a debate focused on the Pride flag and other expressions of L.G.B.T.Q. support. 3 min read Partial Eclipse Captivates Much of the Northern Hemisphere The moon slipped between the Earth and the sun on Saturday, casting a shadow on our planet across parts of three continents. 2 min read Advertisement The MorningNewsletter Breaking Through Icebreakers are corny. But there's something thrilling in dispensing with small talk, Melissa Kirsch writes. 8 min read F.A.A. Investigates After Air Force Jets Near Delta Plane Activate Safety Alert Four jets came close enough to the Delta flight, which was taking off from Washington's Reagan National Airport, to set off a collision-avoidance alert. 2 min read Yankees Hit 4 Home Runs in One Inning, a Team First The New York Yankees hit home runs on each of the first three pitches Nestor Cortes Jr. threw in the first inning. Then two outs later, they made it four. From The Athletic In Cities' Rush to Clear Homeless Camps, People Have Been Crushed to Death Atlanta's mayor began a drive to clear homeless encampments. But when heavy equipment came to raze one, nobody noticed one man was still inside his tent. 8 min read He's Building a Weed Empire in New York. Does That Make Him a Villain? Michael Flynn believes selling cannabis is his destiny. Do his ambitious expansion efforts violate state law? 7 min read An Actor Wanted a Maximalist Home. He Got Something Else Entirely. In Brandon Flynn and the writer Jordan Tannahill's 750-square-foot East Village apartment, a bold palette is filtered through a minimalist lens. 3 min read Danielle Dowling Reporting on the arts In “The Studio,” Seth Rogen is the head of a struggling film studio, rubbing elbows with some film greats as he tries to put together a Kool-Aid movie. Oh yeah!Here's more on that show and other entertainment highlights this weekend → Apple TV+, via Associated Press A “foulmouthed cringe comedy” that wears its love of Hollywood on its sleeve, “The Studio” occasionally “chooses so many targets to spoof that it loses sight of its serial story line,” but when the show hits its mark, “it is funnier than most anything on TV now,” James Poniewozik writes. The first two episodes are on Apple TV+. Apple TV+, via Associated Press Sarah Snook's virtuosity in playing the many characters of Oscar Wilde's “Dorian Gray” is such that her Lord Wotten, her Hallward and her Dorian, “whether live or recorded or both at once, are convincing and compelling,” Jesse Green writes. The play is at Broadway's Music Box Theater. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Encompassing some 180 works including an art-school collage and his final painting, “Jack Whitten: The Messenger” is a “refreshing tidal wave” of a retrospective “sweeping and scintillating through the special exhibition galleries” at the Museum of Modern Art, Holland Cotter writes. The show is there through Aug. 2. Ahmed Gaber for The New York Times “Death of a Unicorn,” which stars Paul Rudd and Jenny Ortega as a father and daughter who get into an accident with the titular magical creature, is “an unabashedly nonsensical movie that doesn't take anything too seriously, itself included,” Manohla Dargis writes. The film arrives in theaters nationwide today. David Bornfriend/A24, via Associated Press The vocal ensemble Stile Antico celebrates the Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Perluigi da Palestrina in the program “The Prince of Music” tomorrow night at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Manhattan. Read about this and other picks for entertainment in New York City in our weekend roundup. Eduardus Lee Go to the Arts home page to read about “The Studio” and this weekend's other recommendations. Apple TV+, via Associated Press The Athletic Audio Cooking Wirecutter Games Wordle Guess the 5-letter word with 6 chances. Connections Group words that share a common thread. Strands Uncover hidden words and reveal the theme. Spelling Bee How many words can you make with 7 letters? The Crossword Get clued in with wordplay, every day. The Mini Crossword Solve this bite-sized puzzle in just a few minutes.
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Myanmar's military rulers have called for ‘any country, any organisation' to help as concerns grow over how rescuers will reach affected areas The death toll from the Myanmar earthquake has risen to 1,644, the ruling junta said on Saturday, with 3,408 people injured, according to Agence France-Presse. A statement from the junta's information team said that at least 139 people are still missing after Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake. Earlier on Saturday, the country's military junta said the death toll had surpassed 1,000. As darkness fell in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, many residents set up small tents and prepared to sleep on the streets rather than risk going back to their homes. “We are afraid that some weak buildings might collapse,” said Ko Ko, who asked not to give his full name. Mandalay was one of the areas worst affected by Friday's earthquake, a shallow 7.7-magnitude tremor that was followed minutes later by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock. Ko Ko had been driving in his car when the ground shook for the second time. “We stopped at the corner of the road because of the shaking. At that moment, a hospital collapsed right in front of me, like waffle sheets crumbling, and a large cloud of dust emerged like in the movie scene,” he said. For the full story, click here: Damaged infrastructure in Myanmar is hindering humanitarian rescue operations, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. “Damage to the Yangon/Naypyidaw/Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations,” the UN agency said, Reuters reports, adding that hospitals in central and north-western Myanmmar are struggling to handle the influx of injured victims from the earthquake. Rescue operations are under way in Thailand and Myanmar after a deadly earthquake that has killed nearly 1,700 people: In the latest flash update on the Myanmar earthquake, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) has highlighted the following: Initial field reports indicate that upwards of 1,000 people have died, more than 2,200 people have been injured and more than 200 people remain missing as search-and-rescue operations continue. Most of the deaths were reported in the Mandalay area. A state of emergency has been declared in six areas of Myanmar: the Bago region, the Mandalay region, the Naypyidaw territory, the Sagaing region and parts of Shan state. The military junta currently governing Myanmar has called for international assistance. Initial reports indicate that Mandalay international airport (with commercial flights cancelled until further notice), major bridges, roads, universities, hotels, historical and religious sites, and public service buildings in urban and rural areas have been heavily damaged or destroyed. Thousands of people are spending the nights on the streets or in open spaces due to the damage and destruction to their homes or fearing further quakes. Supply infrastructure and communication towers have been severely affected and electricity and water services were disrupted, including in the Yangon region. Landline, mobile and internet networks remain unstable. Damage to the the Yangon-Naypyidaw-Mandalay expressway has led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions, forcing buses to halt operations. As the full scale of the disaster unfolds, urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to support those affected, Ocha stressed. The emergency relief coordinator has allocated $5m from the Central Emergency Response Fund (Cerf) to support urgent response efforts. Hospitals and health facilities have sustained extensive damage or destruction. A severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines and tents for health workers. Exhausted and overwhelmed rescuers in Myanmar's second-biggest city pleaded for help on Saturday as they struggled to free hundreds of people trapped in buildings destroyed by a devastating earthquake, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). Rescuers in flip-flops and minimal protective equipment picked by hand over the remains of buildings, shouting into the rubble in the hope of hearing the answering cries of survivors, reports AFP. “There are many victims in condo apartments. More than 100 were pulled out last night,” one rescue worker who requested anonymity told AFP. As darkness fell on Saturday, AFP journalists saw dozens of people preparing to bed down in the streets for a second night. The European Union (EU) said it was providing €2.5m ($2.7m) in initial emergency aid and assessing the needs on the ground in order to mobilise further assistance from the bloc. “The EU stands in solidarity with people in Myanmar and the broader region enduring the aftermath of this powerful earthquake. As in previous disasters, the EU stands ready to help those most in need,” said EU crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analysed by the Associated Press (AP) show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at the Naypyidaw international airport. The photos taken on Saturday show the tower toppled over as if sheered from its base and debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar, added the news agency. The AP reports that it was not immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake on Friday. It likely also stopped air traffic into the international airport, given all electronics and radar would have been routed into the tower for controllers. Here are some more images coming in via the newswires: In Mandalay, Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists reported seeing dozens of people preparing to bed down for the night in the streets, preferring to sleep in the open rather than take the risk in quake-damaged buildings. A 39-year-old resident of the Mandalay region described harrowing scenes as he tried to save a man trapped under the debris of a collapsed mosque in Sule Kone village, but had to flee because of strong aftershocks, reports Reuters. “I had to leave him behind … I went in a second time to try to save him,” he said, declining to be identified. “I retrieved four people with my own hands. But unfortunately, three were already dead and one died in my arms.” He told Reuters that 10 people had been killed there, and that they were among 23 who died at three mosques that were destroyed in the village. Government restrictions had prevented them being upgraded, he said. Muslims are a minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar and have been marginalised by successive governments, while ultranationalist groups and extremist monks have in recent years incited violence, reports Reuters. Myanmar authorities have for decades made it difficult for Muslims to obtain permission to repair or build new mosques, according to 2017 report by the US state department, which said historic mosques have deteriorated because routine maintenance was denied. Buddhist buildings were also badly hit by the quake, with 670 monasteries and 290 pagodas damaged, according to the military government. It did not mention any mosques in its damage report. Reuters could not reach the mosques or verify the accounts of the collapses. The death toll from the Myanmar earthquake has risen to 1,644, the ruling junta said on Saturday, with 3,408 people injured, according to Agence France-Presse. A statement from the junta's information team said that at least 139 people are still missing after Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake. Earlier on Saturday, the country's military junta said the death toll had surpassed 1,000. “In the beginning I didn't think she would be alive,” Ye Aung told Agence France-Presse (AFP) as he anxiously waited for his wife – then buried in the rubble – to emerge. Phyu Lay Khaing, 30, was brought out of the Sky Villa condominium by rescuers on Saturday, AFP journalists saw, 30 hours after a devastating quake hit Myanmar. “I am very happy that I heard good news,” said the trader, who has two sons with his wife – eight-year-old William, and Ethan, five. A Red Cross official told AFP earlier that more than 90 people could be trapped under the remains of the apartment block. Rescuers pulled a woman alive from the wreckage of a collapsed apartment building in Mandalay on Saturday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists saw, 30 hours after a devastating quake hit Myanmar. Phyu Lay Khaing, 30, was brought out of the Sky Villa condominium by rescuers and carried by stretcher to be embraced by her husband, Ye Aung, and taken to hospital, reports AFP. It is approaching 8pm in Mandalay, Myanmar, and 8.30pm in Bangkok, Thailand. Here is what we know so far about Friday's huge earthquake that hit Myanmar: The death toll from a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar rose to more than 1,000 on Saturday as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country's second-largest city. The country's military-led government said in a statement that 1,002 people have now been found dead and another 2,376 injured, with 30 others missing. The statement suggested the numbers could still rise, saying “detailed figures are still being collected.” The earthquake struck at about midday on Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks including one measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam. A state of emergency was declared across the six worst-affected regions in Myanmar after the quake. In the capital Naypyidaw, crews worked on Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone and internet services remained down for most of the city. The earthquake brought down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government civil servants, but that section of the city was blocked off by authorities on Saturday, according to the Associated Press (AP). Bangkok city authorities said so far six people have been found dead, 26 injured and 47 are still missing, most from a construction site near the capital's popular Chatuchak market. On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought in to move lage amounts of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive. Thai authorities said that the quake and aftershocks were felt in most of the country's provinces. Many places in the north reported damage to residential buildings, hospitals and temples, including in Chiang Mai, but the only casualties were reported in Bangkok. Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was ready to accept outside assistance. Flights carrying rescue teams from China have landed at the airport in Yangon instead of going directly to the airports in the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyidaw. China said it had sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits and generators, and pledged $13.8m in emergency humanitarian aid. Russia's emergencies ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies. India also sent a search and rescue team and a medical team and Malaysia said it would send 50 people on Sunday. South Korea said it would provide $2m worth of humanitarian aid through international organisations, and the U.N. allocated $5m to start relief efforts. King Charles sent a message of condolence after the deadly earthquake in Myanmar, as he continues to work while recuperating after his short stay in hospital. In a message addressed to “the people of Myanmar” and posted on social media, King Charles said: “At this most difficult and heartbreaking of times, my wife and I send our deepest possible sympathy to all those who have suffered the profound tragedy of losing their loved ones, their homes and their precious livelihoods.” President Donald Trump said Friday that the US was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analysed by the AP show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyidaw international airport as if sheered from its base. Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar, the photos showed on Saturday. A woman has been rescued alive from a collapsed Mandalay apartment block, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). More details soon … The AP reports that, according to Bangkok city authorities, six people have been found dead, 26 injured and 47 are still missing from a construction site near the capital's popular Chatuchak market. More heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble on Saturday, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive. “I was praying that that they had survived but when I got here and saw the ruin — where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive? I am still praying that all six are alive,” said 45-year-old Naruemol Thonglek, sobbing as she awaited news about her partner, who is from Myanmar, and five friends who worked at the site. “I cannot accept this. When I see this I can't accept this. A close friend of mine is in there, too,” she said. Waenphet Panta told AP she hadn't heard from her daughter Kanlayanee since a phone call about an hour before the quake. A friend told her Kanlayanee had been working high on the building on Friday. “I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital,” she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.
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Airbus also built the Rosalind Franklin rover, due to launch in 2028 to search for signs of past life Europe's first rover to be sent to another planet is back on track to reach Mars, with the lander that will deposit it on the surface lined up to be built in the UK. The Rosalind Franklin rover – named after the scientist who played a key role in the discovery of the structure of DNA – is part of ExoMars, a European Space Agency (Esa) mission to probe whether life once existed on the red planet, and features a drill to retrieve samples, up to 4bn years old, from two metres below the surface. Initially a joint project with Roscosmos, the rover was expected to launch in 2022. However, the mission was suspended after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But rather than ditch the project, Esa reassessed it, securing more money and striking new agreements for other sources to deliver aspects that were previously to be provided by Russia. Among them, Nasa will now supply the launcher for the rover, as well as a number of other elements including the rover's radioisotope heater units (RHUs). Takeoff is expected in 2028 for arrival on Mars in 2030. Now it has been announced that the rover's landing platform will be built by Airbus at its site in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, as part of a £150m contract awarded by Esa and funded by the UK government through the UK Space Agency. The business is no stranger to the mission: Airbus built the Rosalind Franklin rover itself. But, as Caroline Rodier, the project manager of the lander, noted, getting the rover on to the Martian surface is a challenge. “Landing on Mars is not an easy task, and the schedule is very ambitious as well,” she said. The idea is that the rover and landing platform will be contained within a capsule Rodier likens to a Kinder Egg, which also features a parachute and a heat shield. On entering the Martian atmosphere, the first parachute is deployed to slow the capsule to subsonic speeds. Then that parachute, and the capsule itself, is jettisoned before a second parachute – attached to the lander – is engaged. “And then eventually the platform itself, when it's getting quite close [to] the soil, will effectively start firing its thruster quite hard in order to land,” said Rodier. But this landing platform is complex to design: not least as it must be slowed to less than three metres a second before touchdown. “When you land on Mars with this kind of system, with a platform and thrusters which are firing quite hard in order to break the speed and land safely, it means that you need a propulsion system with a big throughput,” Rodier said. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion “If you compare with what we've done elsewhere, which are typical spacecraft, other missions, they have a much smaller throughput. So there are challenges, because it is the first time that we are doing this kind of propulsion system.” Rodier added the team are also working on legs for the lander as well as two symmetrical ramps that will be deployed once it has touched down, allowing the Rosalind Franklin rover to leave the platform via the least risky route. Rodier added that the rover itself is currently undergoing various tweaks and upgrades now that the launch window has changed, including enhancements to its guidance and navigation control system. Paul Bate, the CEO of the UK Space Agency, said: “This is humanity defining science, and the best opportunity to find if past life once existed on Mars. “We're proud to have funded this world-leading technology. The ripple effects of space exploration discoveries extend far beyond the realm of space exploration, driving progress and prosperity across multiple sectors in the UK, and inspiring technological advances to benefit us all.”
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Subscribe Now! Get features like The cost of acquisition for inherited properties is generally the cost at which the previous owner acquired the property. However, if the previous owner purchased it before 1 April 2001, the inheritor can opt to use the fair market value (FMV) of the property as of 1 April 2001 instead. “This provision, often applicable under Indian tax law (e.g., Section 49 of the Income Tax Act), allows the inheritor to account for appreciation in value up to 2001. By choosing the FMV as of 1 April 2001, which is typically higher than the original cost, the inheritor can reduce the taxable capital gains when selling the property and apply the indexation benefits,” says Manmeet Kaur, Partner at Karanjawala & Co, a litigation firm. Anjali Verma, a Pune-based doctor, inherited a house from her mother in 2022. The house had been originally purchased in 1985 by her grandfather for ₹5 lakh and had significantly appreciated in value. Under section 49 of the Income Tax Act, Verma opted for the fair market value as on 1 April 2001 which was ₹25 lakh. In 2023 she sold the house for ₹2.50 crore. After using indexation benefits her indexed cost of acquisition was ₹87 lakh. This meant that her long-term capital gains was ₹1.63 crore. This way, her capital gains tax was much lesser. For inherited properties, the cost of acquisition for the beneficiary is the same as that of the previous owner, and the holding period includes the time held by the previous owner. “Partitioning inherited property among legal heirs is not considered a "transfer" under Section 2(47) of the IT Act and hence does not trigger capital gains tax or reset the holding period. It is merely a reallocation of existing ownership rights, preserving the original holding period for each heir's share,” says Suresh Surana, a Mumbai-based Chartered Accountant. When selling an inherited property, two scenarios can apply. “In case of assessees being resident individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), they have the following two options. The assessee can choose any option which will result in lower tax liability,” says Surana. In one option the LTCG is taxed at 20% after adjusting the cost of acquisition for inflation using the Cost Inflation Index (CII). Indexation adjusts the original cost of acquisition for inflation, reducing the taxable gain. It uses the Cost Inflation Index (CII), published annually by the Income Tax Department. In the other, the LTCG is taxed at 12.5% without adjusting for cost indexation benefit. The LTCG is taxed at a flat rate of 12.5% without indexation benefits, as the option for indexation does not apply to properties acquired after this date. Let us take the example of Raj Mehta who inherited a house in 2025. His father had bought the house in 2010 for ₹10 lakh. Mehta sold it in February 2025 for ₹1.2 crore. When calculating LTCG he has two options. With indexation, let us assume that the adjusted cost of acquisition becomes ₹21.86 lakh. This results in a gain of 98.14 lakh. Taxed at 20 per cent, it comes to 19.63 lakh. Also Read: Planning to sell your property? Here's why timing it after April 1 makes financial sense Without indexation, the gain is ₹1.1 crore ( ₹1.2 crore minus ₹10 lakh). So, the tax at 12.5 per cent amounts to ₹13.75 lakh. Raj chooses the lower tax liability of ₹13.75 lakh. In addition to the base rate, a surcharge (if applicable, capped at 15% for LTCG) and a 4% health and education cess are levied on the tax amount. Several deductions and exemptions can reduce or eliminate LTCG tax liability when selling inherited property. “If you cannot reinvest before filing your tax return, deposit the gains in a Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS) account to claim exemptions later, subject to the prescribed time limits,” says Surana. One can also claim some exemptions. Let us look at them. Costs incurred during the sale (e.g., brokerage, legal fees) are deductible from the sale price to calculate the net sale proceeds. Further it can also be indexed if opting for a 20% tax rate. Costs of improvement (e.g., renovations) made by you or the previous owner can be claimed. Further it can also be indexed (if opting for 20% with indexation) and deducted. Anagh Pal is a personal finance expert who writes on real estate, tax, insurance, mutual funds and other topics
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Buildings shook and swayed, water fell out of rooftop infinity pools and people ran around in panic as an earthquake hit Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand, killing over 1,000 people with operations on to rescue others. Indians, who form a large chunk of tourists in Thailand, hurriedly returned home as the 7.2 magnitude quake hit Myanmar and its tremors shook Bangkok. At the Kolkata airport, Ranjan Banerjee said malls and offices were evacuated and the Metro rail was shut when the quake hit. Safdar, another tourist, told ANI that he saw skyscrapers shaking and water falling out of an infinity pool. Sanjiv Dutta said his bed was shaking and as he joined the underway evacuation, he saw people running in panic. "I came to the ground floor from the seventh floor and waited for some time. There was huge traffic. It took 5-6 hours to cover 30 kilometres," he told ANI. Bharati Khurana told ANI that due to the emergency closure of all commercial spaces, they were not able to get taxis to the airport to return home at first. Pranav remembered how everyone started running away when the hotel they were in started to shake violently. "We were in the Prince Pace Hotel on the 24th floor, when the building started shaking violently," he told ANI. The Indian Embassy in Thailand assured that it is closely monitoring the situation, adding that no untoward incidents involving Indian citizens have been reported so far. "In case of any emergency, Indian nationals in Thailand are advised to contact the emergency number +66 618819218. All members of the Indian Embassy in Bangkok and Consulate in Chiang Mai are safe," the Indian Embassy in Thailand said in a post on X. The quake, which was also felt in China and Vietnam, caused widespread structural damage. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Body of team leader found almost a week after six rescuers went missing, Gaza's civil defence agency says Israel's military admitted on Saturday it had fired on ambulances in the Gaza Strip after identifying them as “suspicious vehicles”, with Hamas condemning it as a “war crime” that killed at least one person. The incident took place last Sunday in the Tal al-Sultan neighbourhood in the southern city of Rafah, close to the Egyptian border. Israeli troops launched an offensive there on 20 March, two days after the army resumed aerial bombardments of Gaza after an almost two-month-long truce. Attacks on medical staff, hospitals and ambulances are potential war crimes. Israeli troops had “opened fire toward Hamas vehicles and eliminated several Hamas terrorists”, the military claimed in a statement to Agence France-Presse. “A few minutes afterward, additional vehicles advanced suspiciously toward the troops … The troops responded by firing toward the suspicious vehicles, eliminating a number of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.” The military did not say if there was fire coming from the vehicles. It added that “after an initial inquiry, it was determined that some of the suspicious vehicles … were ambulances and fire trucks”, and condemned what it claimed was “the repeated use” by “terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip of ambulances for terrorist purposes”. The day after the incident, Gaza's civil defence agency said in a statement that it had not heard from a team of six rescuers from Tal al-Sulta who had been urgently dispatched to respond to deaths and injuries. On Friday, it reported finding the body of the team leader and the rescue vehicles – an ambulance and a firefighting vehicle – and said a vehicle from the Palestine Red Crescent Society was also “reduced to a pile of scrap metal”. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, accused Israel of carrying out “a deliberate and brutal massacre against civil defence and Palestinian Red Crescent teams in the city of Rafah”. “The targeted killing of rescue workers – who are protected under international humanitarian law – constitutes a flagrant violation of the Geneva conventions and a war crime,” he said. Tom Fletcher, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said since 18 March, “Israeli airstrikes in densely populated areas have killed hundreds of children and other civilians”. “Patients killed in their hospital beds. Ambulances shot at. First responders killed,” he said. “If the basic principles of humanitarian law still count, the international community must act while it can to uphold them.” On Friday, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) mourned the killing of Osama Al-Bali, a paramedic who served at MAP's Solidarity polyclinic in Gaza. ‘‘Osama, his wife, and their 13-year-old son were killed on 27 March 2025 when Israeli forces shelled their tent in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza,'' read a statement from Map. ‘‘His brother's family was also killed in the attack. MAP unequivocally condemns this attack and demands the immediate protection of all healthcare workers and civilians in Gaza.'' According to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 1,060 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Last week, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) condemned Israel's killing of a Palestinian worker affiliated with the group in Gaza. MSF issued a statement announcing the death of 29-year-old Alaa Abd-Elsalam Ali Okal, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his apartment building in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah. Last December, four doctors were killed at Kamal Adwan hospital in besieged northern Gaza, after Israeli forces stormed the compound, killing and injuring dozens of people in surrounding areas. Israel has long claimed that Hamas was using ambulances to carry out their military operations. However, last January, the Israeli army admitted that its forces had also used an ambulance to infiltrate the Balata refugee camp in the city of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. Five armed Israeli soldiers emerged from the vehicle and took part in a raid that resulted in the deaths of two civilians, one of them an 80-year-old woman. Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Facing a slew of criticism over the recent Signal chat controversy, leaking details of a military strike in Yemen to a journalist, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also reportedly took his wife to two meetings with foreign military counterparts. People familiar with these meetings or present there, as per the Wall Street Journal, said that the defense secretary's wife Jennifer Hegseth, a former Fox News producer, attended two meetings with foreign military counterparts of the US, wherein sensitive information was discussed. One of these meetings was a high-level discussion at the Pentagon, which took place on March 6, between Hegseth and his UK counterpart John Healey. The meeting came just a day after the US announced that it had cut off military intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Present at the meeting where Adm. Tony Radakin, head of the UK's armed forces. The two sides discussed Washington's rationale behind its decision, as well as future military collaboration between the US and the UK. Hegseth had attended this meeting with his wife Jennifer seated behind him. According to WSJ, a secretary can invite anyone to their meetings with visiting counterparts. However, the list of attendees are usually limited to those who need to be there or who possess security clearances, given the sensitive nature of these meetings. Often, security deployments are also seen near the meeting space to ensure that uninvited attendees keep away. Jennifer is not a defense department official, said defense officials. However, it is unusual for spouses of senior officials to have low-level security clearances but, a Pentagon spokesperson refused to tell whether Hegseth's wife has one. She also was present at a meeting last month at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) headquarters in Brussels, where allied defense officials discussed the war in Ukraine and the support for Kyiv, WSJ reported citing two persons who attended the meeting. The meeting took place on the sidelines of a February conference of NATO defense ministers, with a gathering of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and a US-led forum of some 50 nations that meets from time to time to coordinate on production and delivery of weapons and other aid for Ukraine. At these close-door meetings, national representatives present sensitive and classified information, officials added. Some foreign attendees at the meetings did not know Jennifer's real identity, people familiar with both the meetings know. Some were also surprised by her presence, however, they did not bring it up to anyone. With the Signal chat leak issue, members of the Congress from both Democratic and Republican sides have raised concerns about Hegseth's way of dealing with sensitive information. Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the panel, sent a letter to the Defense department's inspector general, asking for the launch of an inquiry into the chat. Reportedly, high-ranking defense personnel bring their spouses on official travel and ceremomial functions occasionally. At the NATO conference in Brussels, Pete Hegseth had told the media that his wife had joined him, meeting with families of the US troops in Belgium and Germany. However, as per current and former defense officials, it is rare for spouses, especially private citizens, to sit in on national security discussions. A former secretary of defense under president Barack Obama, Chuck Hagel, was cited by WSJ, "When you have meetings with ministers or high-level NATO officials, those meetings almost always include sensitive security conversations." "If you are going to discuss top secret, national security issues, you have to be very selective. What's the relevancy of the person you are inviting?" He said that a secretary bringing his wife to such conversations raise several questions, why is she there, what is she doing. "It also puts staff on guard over what to say and to whom. It introduces an issue you don't need to introduce," Hagel added. Jennifer, with a vast career in television news, met Pete Hegseth when was a producer on 'Fox & Friends'. The two married each other in 2019. Later, Jennifer became the vice president at Fox Nation, the network's streaming service. As per Fox News spokeswoman Irena Briganti, Jennifer Hegseth is no longer an employee at Fox. Additionally, the Pentagon said that Hegseth's brother, Philip Hegseth, has also been travelling with him on official visits. The Defense secretary's office also confirmed that Phil is serving as liaison and senior adviser inside the Pentagon. Spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson said in a statement, Philip Hegseth's official title is senior adviser to the secretary for the Department of Homeland Security and liaison officer to the Defense department. Though it is common for federal departments and agencies to have liaisons but, it is unusual for those senior-level positions to be filled by family members of the Cabinet heads, said Michael Fallings, a managing partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, a firm which specialises in federal employment law.
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Vice-president and US delegation visit amid growing tension and Trump targets Smithsonian Institution – key US politics stories from 28 March 2025 JD Vance told troops in Greenland that the US has to gain control of the Arctic island to stop the threat of China and Russia as he doubled down on his criticism of Denmark, which he said has “not done a good job”. As the US vice-president toured Pituffik space base, Donald Trump reiterated his previous claims that the US needs Greenland for “world peace”. “I think Greenland understands that the United States should own it,” the US president said at a press conference at the White House on Friday. “And if Denmark and the EU don't understand it, we have to explain it to them.” In a show of national unity before Vance's arrival, four of the territory's five parties signed a coalition agreement that states on page one: “Greenland belongs to us.” Here's the full story and other key Trump news of the day: Under increasingly strained relations between the White House and Greenland and Denmark, Vance said: “Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland.” Read the full story Donald Trump has ordered a highly controversial reshaping of the US Smithsonian Institution, claiming he will eliminate what his administration regards as “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” from the world's largest set of museums, educational and research entities grouped under one institutional umbrella. The announcement has sparked outrage from critics, accusing Trump of taking action to “remove diversity” from American history. Read the full story Donald Trump described a long-awaited call with the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, as “extremely productive” amid a trade war between the two nations launched by the US president. The Friday morning call, requested by the White House, marks the first time the two leaders have spoken since Carney became prime minister on 14 March. In the call, Carney also said his government would implement retaliatory tariffs “to protect Canadian workers and our economy” ahead of expected levies from the US due to come into effect on 2 April. Read the full story The United States has ordered consular offices to significantly expand their screening processes for student visa applicants, including through comprehensive social media investigations, to exclude people they deem to support terrorism. Read the full story Hillary Clinton on Friday called the Trump administration's approach to governing both dumb and dangerous in an essay excoriating the Signal chat scandal and the Elon Musk-led mission to slash the federal workforce, and concluding that Trump would make the US “feeble and friendless”. Read the full story Union leaders have accused Donald Trump of union-busting in a “blatant” attempt to silence them after the president stepped up his attacks on government unions on Thursday, signing an executive order that attempts to eliminate collective bargaining for hundreds of thousands of federal workers. Read the full story Two prominent law firms sued the Trump administration on Friday, seeking to block executive orders that would halt the firms' business with the government and revoke the security clearances of its attorneys. The suits come amid deep concern the legal community is not doing enough to push back against efforts to target them. A third top US law firm – Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom – reached an agreement to avoid an executive order, agreeing to do $100m in pro-bono work “in the Trump administration and beyond”. Read the full story The US is in the midst of an extraordinary battle between “the rule of law versus the rule of billionaires”, a top Democratic government official and attorney has warned, after his unprecedented firing by Donald Trump. Alvaro Bedoya, abruptly terminated as a commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last week, sounded a “blinking red alarm” over backroom “quid pro quo” dealmaking he said appears to be taking place in the Trump administration. Read the full story Elon Musk's xAI artificial intelligence firm has acquired Musk's X – the social media platform formerly known as Twitter – for $33bn, marking the latest twist in the billionaire's rapid consolidation of power. Read the full story The Democratic attorney general of Wisconsin has asked a court to block Elon Musk from giving $1m checks to voters as he seeks to influence a state supreme court race whose outcome could shape the future of the entire US. A US district judge blocked the Trump administration from dismantling a key consumer financial watchdog. Judge Amy Berman Jackson's ruling puts in place a preliminary injunction that maintains the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's existence while she considers the arguments of a lawsuit seeking to prevent the president's decimation of the bureau. Detained Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil's lawyers have called for his release, arguing he is facing inhumane treatment in detention. Baher Azmy, who argued Khalil's case should be returned to a New York court, said: “They keep passing around the body in an almost Kafkaesque way.” Donald Trump has pardoned the three co-founders of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, who had pleaded guilty in 2022 to violating the Bank Secrecy Act for failing to maintain anti-money laundering and know-your-customer programs. The FCC will investigate diversity efforts at the Walt Disney Company and its subsidiary ABC, the head of the US agency said on Friday. Catching up? Here's what happened on 27 March.
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A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar early Friday afternoon, rocking the country's second-most-populous city, Mandalay, and shaking buildings more than 600 miles away in the Thai capital, Bangkok. At least 144 people were killed in Myanmar and at least 732 were injured, account to the country's military junta. The casualty count is expected to rise, said Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the country's military chief, in a televised address. The quake hit remote areas torn apart by years of civil war, some of which are not under the control of the military government, posing harsh challenges for the distribution of aid and making a full casualty count difficult to ascertain. A state of emergency was declared in Bangkok, where at least eight people were killed and dozens remained trapped after a building under construction collapsed, Thai officials told reporters. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake, which struck near Sagaing, was followed by several aftershocks — including one with a magnitude of 6.4. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck around Mandalay in Myanmar has been building for a while, scientists said. “We absolutely thought that it would occur sometime in our lifetimes, … but there's really no way to say when it would occur,” said Eric Lindsey, a geophysicist at the University of New Mexico. “It's absolutely devastating to see it actually take place.” The 7.7-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 144 people, according to Myanmar's military junta. At least eight more people died in a building collapse in Bangkok, Thai officials told reporters. But the number of people dead in Myanmar could rise to the thousands, according to U.S. Geological Survey estimates. Tom Andrews, the U.N. human rights monitor for Myanmar, said that the junta's response to previous crises showed it was willing to “weaponize aid in the midst of natural disasters” and called on international organizations to work with other groups, included the pro-democracy government-in-exile. “The world must work with the National Unity Govt., ethnic organizations and civil society groups to reach those in desperate need,” Andrews wrote in a post on X. President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that he was aware of the requests from Myanmar's military junta for international aid after an earthquake hit the country Friday and said that the U.S. government was already working on it. “We're going to be helping. I've already alerted the people,” Trump said when asked about the request for aid from Myanmar. “It's terrible what's happened. We've already spoken with the country.” Communications and electricity networks are down and roads and bridges are damaged in Myanmar after Friday's major earthquake and aftershocks, an official with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said Friday, noting that “there's going to be significant impact.” The earthquake that struck Mandalay on Friday killed at least 144 people in Myanmar, according to the country's military junta. Myanmar's authorities say the number of casualties is likely to rise. It is the deadliest quake in the region since 1930, when a 7.4-magnitude tremor took 500 lives, according to data from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. Myanmar's military government has been fighting a civil war against a constellation of long-standing ethnic minority armed groups and newer pro-democracy militias since seizing power four years ago. It does not have full control over the areas affected by the quake. After declaring a state of emergency in six regions — an unclear designation, given that it declared a state of emergency over the entire country in 2021 — the isolated junta has issued a rare appeal for international assistance. Myanmar is prone to earthquakes, but the 7.7-magnitude quake Friday had more potential for damage than previous large events. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck near Mandalay in Myanmar was due to a “strike slip faulting between the India and Eurasia plates” along the Sagaing Fault, the U.S. Geological Survey said. While earthquakes are commonly plotted on maps, they are better described as “slip over a larger fault area,” the agency said. Those that generate quakes the size of Friday's are usually about 102 miles long by 12 miles wide, the agency said. Like many Thais, Jiraporn Wongpaithoon had never actually experienced an earthquake — even when she lived in Istanbul. But on Friday afternoon, she was working from her home in Bangkok when everything began shaking. Myanmar's largest hospital, the 1,000-bed Mandalay General Hospital, was overwhelmed Friday afternoon, according witness accounts. Teams from across the city were setting up emergency clinics to deal with the overflow. BANGKOK — Most of the workers at the site of a Bangkok building under construction that collapsed in Friday's earthquake were migrants from Myanmar, survivors at the site said. Construction worker Aung Thiha, 24, said that when the building began to shake, he thought he was feeling dizzy from having not slept enough the night before. “Gradually, I noticed dust and sand started to fall from the ceiling,” he said. Myanmar's democratic government in exile emphasized the scale of the tragedy and called on the “international community and organizations to provide humanitarian aid and support for the affected people in Myanmar.” “We call for effective coordination to ensure that aid reaches those genuinely in need,” the National Unity Government, which claims to be Myanmar's legitimate government, wrote on X. Myanmar was already in the midst of a civil war and facing major humanitarian needs when Friday's major earthquake and aftershocks struck — all of which will only complicate any response. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said Friday that most new buildings in Thailand have been designed to withstand earthquakes. “The building that collapsed was still under construction, so there was some weakness,” he said. Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, said in a statement that damage from the earthquake is limited and there is no tsunami risk. Residents of condos have been told they can return home, but Bangkok's Skytrain and subway system will remain closed for safety checks before it is expected to reopen Saturday, the government said. The death toll from the collapse of a building under construction in Bangkok has risen to four, according to Thai opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut. The number of trapped workers at the construction site, in the Chatuchak district, is estimated at 80 to 90, the leader of the People's Party said at a news conference after inspecting damage at the site. The Thai deputy prime minister and defense minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said earlier that all victims remain unidentified. Here's what to know about the earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand on Friday afternoon local time: It's the dry season in Myanmar, when temperatures typically rise to 95 to 100 degrees on a daily basis and little if any rain falls. Monsoonal rains don't usually arrive until May. During this time, transboundary haze, or air pollution from agricultural burns and wildfires, spreads across borders and affects several countries in Southeast Asia, including Myanmar. Visibility can be reduced to less than a mile and air quality is often very poor. U.S. citizens have been warned to “proceed with caution” and watch for falling debris while staying clear of high-rise buildings until it has been deemed safe to return. “Communication infrastructure remains operational, however there have been reports of public transportation outages and increased traffic congestion,” the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok said. The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar reminded people to save battery power on their phones for emergencies and to monitor local news for updates. Myanmar's military junta, which has retreated from international engagement since forcibly seizing power four years ago, issued a rare appeal for international help after declaring a state of emergency in six regions, including Mandalay and the capital, Naypyidaw. “We want the international community to give humanitarian aid as soon as possible,” junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told Agence France-Presse in Myanmar. The earthquake appears to have mainly impacted Myanmar and neighboring Thailand. But the tremors were also felt in China's Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar, as well as the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, according to media from both countries. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an extensive area in Myanmar is likely to have been exposed to liquefaction during the earthquake. Liquefaction takes place when strong ground shaking from an earthquake causes soils to turn into a slurry, briefly behaving more like a liquid than a solid. When it occurs beneath buildings and structures, liquefaction can cause major damage. Search and rescue efforts are being delayed because large equipment cannot be used amid fears of aftershocks, Thailand's deputy prime minister and minister of defense, Phumtham Wechayachai, said Friday. “Bangkok has seen nothing like this in 100 years,” Phumtham said. “A big concern right now is more aftershocks, which we have been watching closely.” At least three people have been killed and 80 remain trapped after a building under construction collapsed in Bangkok, Thailand's deputy prime minister and defense minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, told journalists Friday afternoon after inspecting the site. One person has been rescued, he added. In a separate update, Thailand's National Institute of Emergency Medicine said at least 50 people were injured. The weather at the time of the earthquake was hot and hazy, with temperatures near 90 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) and low visibility of less than two miles. This low visibility is expected to persist in the days ahead. It is a result of seasonal agricultural fires and wildfires and could affect aviation and airborne search-and-rescue efforts. Kyaw Thu Han Tun, a doctor in Myanmar's Kantbalu township, Sagaing, which is controlled by rebel groups, told The Washington Post that several residential and religious buildings in his area collapsed, though there were no major casualties as far as he was aware. Buildings in the rural areas of Sagaing are mostly flat, unlike in the urban centers of Mandalay or Naypyidaw, he said. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said authorities have declared Bangkok an “area of emergency" and have asked residents to evacuate from tall buildings until aftershocks have ended. Myanmar's military junta declared a state of emergency in the capital Naypyidaw and the following regions: Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, eastern Shan state and Bago. A powerful earthquake on Friday wreaked havoc across Myanmar and neighboring Thailand, razing buildings and trapping dozens of construction workers underneath rubble. Bangkok's governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, told The Washington Post that a building under construction collapsed during the earthquake, leaving several dozen workers trapped. Cracks were reported in other structures but, as of 3 p.m. local time, no other buildings had collapsed, Chadchart said from the Bangkok city command center. “We're waiting for the final report. … But it looks like we're going to be okay,” said Chadchart. Tremors were felt across the city around 2 p.m. local time, sending residents and tourists out onto the streets in panic.
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. The full extent of death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear — particularly in Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries. The 7.7 magnitude quake rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar, causing possible casualties from a collapsed building in Bangkok. Tourists and residents of Thailand's capital spoke of their shock and disbelief after the earthquake caused panic in the city. At least two people were killed on Friday after a building collapsed in Bangkok during a strong earthquake in the region. Thai emergency responders also said an unknown number of others were still under the rubble of the building. (AP video/Sakchai Lalit) People waited anxiously outside buildings after a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok collapsed when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar midday on Friday, police said, and possible casualties are not yet known. Police told The Associated Press they were responding to the scene near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak Market, and had no immediate information on how many workers were on the site at the time of the collapse. Thailand's defense minister says at least 90 people are missing and three are confirmed dead at the site where a high-rise building under construction collapsed when a powerful earthquake hit the capital of Thailand. Dozens of rescuers were seen at work on Friday, entering and leaving the construction site, and the road was blocked with emergency service vehicles. In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, victims caused by an earthquake is seen compound of government hospital Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, Damaged buildings caused by an earthquake is seen Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) Rescuers walk at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Hospital patients lay on beds outdoors after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Rescuers walk at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Damaged pagodas are seen after an earthquake, Friday, March 28, 2025 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Chutima Lalit) Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) People seek shelter in Bangkok's Benjasiri Park after an earthquake shook nearby high-rises on Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Schreck) A damaged monastery is seen after an earthquake, Friday, March 28, 2025 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) A Buddhist monk walks near a damaged building at a monastery compound after an earthquake, Friday, March 28, 2025 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Relatives of workers at a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake wait as rescuers search for victims, in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Chutima Lalit) Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) People take shelter outdoors after an earthquake shook nearby high-rises in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/David Cohen) Rescue workers take an injured man who was trapped under a building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, Myanmar's military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, center, inspects victims caused by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) A building is damaged after earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Vehicles make their way near a road damaged by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) A building is damaged after earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Vehicles make their way near a road damaged by an earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) A relative of a worker at a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake weeps as rescuers search for victims, in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A 7.7 magnitude earthquake and an aftershock measuring 6.4 rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, destroying buildings, a bridge and a dam. At least 144 people were killed in Myanmar, the head of the military government said in the televised speech. “The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said, adding that more than 700 people had been injured. At least six died in the Thai capital, where a high-rise under construction collapsed. Damage was also reported in China. The quake struck in the early afternoon, sending people streaming out of buildings and seeking shelter anywhere they could find it from the blazing sun. Myanmar's military-run government has declared a state of emergency in six regions. Here is the latest: Malaysia will deploy a 50-member humanitarian assistance and disaster relief team to Yangon, Myanmar on Sunday, led by a contingent commander and 49 rescue personnel. This replaces the previously planned staggered deployment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of Malaysia in Yangon are facilitating the arrangements and will support operations on the ground. Malaysia's government said it will deploy disaster relief teams to Yangon ifollowing massive quakes in that country, Thailand and parts of southern China that killed more than 150 people and trapped scores under rubble. China, Russia and India dispatched rescuers to Myanmar, which was rocked by a powerful earthquake that caused extensive damage. A 37-member team from China's Yunnan province reached the city of Yangon early Saturday, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The team carried emergency relief supplies such as life detectors, earthquake early warning systems and drones, Xinhua said, and the team is expected to provide assistance in disaster relief and medical treatment efforts. Russia's emergencies ministry dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from Russia state news agency Tass. “Based on orders from the Russian president and emergencies minister, a group of Russian rescuers has departed to Myanmar on two planes from Zhukovsky Airport outside Moscow to help address the aftermath of a powerful earthquake,” Tass reported that a ministry spokesperson said. India dispatched a search and rescue team and a medical team as well as blankets, tarpaulin, hygiene kits, sleeping bags, solar lamps, food packets and kitchen sets, the country's foreign minister posted on X. Most of Bangkok metro and light rail had resumed operation normally on Saturday morning, according to their operators, although two light rail lines remained closed pending further inspection. Friday's powerful earthquake shook Myanmar, causing extensive damage and prompting officials to warn that the initial death toll — above 140 — was likely to grow. In neighboring Thailand, at least six died in Bangkok, where a high-rise under construction collapsed. Bangkok city authorities have revised the number of people killed in Friday's earthquake down to six, along with 22 people injured and 101 missing. The previous death toll late Friday was 10. Authorities said they lowered the toll because first responders had mistaken some critical cases at the scene as being dead, but when they reached the hospital they could be resuscitated. The powerful earthquake also rocked neighboring Myanmar, causing extensive damage across a wide swath of one of the world's poorest countries and prompting officials to warn that the initial death toll — above 140 — was likely to grow in the days ahead. China's foreign ministry says the country stands ready to do its best to provide emergency humanitarian assistance and support to the earthquake-affected area in Myanmar. The statement says China wants to help “help people there carry out disaster relief and rescue and pull through this trying time.” The ministry spokesperson also extended “our sincere sympathies” to Myanmar and said the peoples of China and Myanmar enjoy a profound “pauk-phaw” friendship, referring to the particularly close ties between the two nations. After Cyclone Mocha in 2023, Radio Free Asia's Burmese Service beamed more than 70 stories in 10 days to its audience via shortwave radio, satellite TV and social media. But the U.S.-backed broadcaster has been noticeably absent from earthquake coverage in the region after President Trump gutted its parent company, the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Radio Free Asia, which receives funds from the agency, has been forced to furlough most of its staff and sever contracts with stringers, including some in Myanmar, hindering its efforts to gather news on the ground, said Rohit Mahajan, spokesman for RFA. As USAGM ends contracts for shortwave radio transmitters, RFA has lost three hours of transmission time to beam programs to audiences in Myanmar, according to Mahajan. The United Nations' emergency relief coordinator made an initial allocation of $5 million for recovery efforts in the area as the international body works to recover from massive U.S. funding cuts to the region even before the 7.7 magnitude quake hit. Stéphane Dujarric, the U.N. spokesperson, told reporters that the allocation was made as international and local U.N. staff are working to gather information on the number of people impacted, damage to infrastructure and the scope of the humanitarian needs. “The earthquake will compound an already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, where nearly 20 million people need assistance across the country, including more than 3.5 million people displaced from their homes,” Dujarric said at a briefing Friday. “The impact of the earthquake in Myanmar is likely to be severe, with possibly thousands of displaced people in need of urgent shelter, food and medical aid,” said Mohammed Riyas, regional director of the International Rescue Committee. “We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake, as communication network lines are down and transport is disrupted,” he said. “The damage to infrastructure and homes, loss of life, and injuries sustained by communities affected should not be underestimated.” Riyas said the IRC and its partners are working to understand how communities have been affected with the aim of launching an emergency response. He said in a statement that “search and rescue operations are underway.” Pope Francis, who is convalescing after a five-week hospitalization for life-threatening double pneumonia, offered prayers to the victims of the earthquake. “The pope has been informed of the disaster in Myanmar and is praying for the dramatic situation and for the many victims, also in Thailand,'' the Vatican said in a statement. The earthquake reportedly brought down multiple buildings in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, including the Ma Soe Yane monastery. A video posted online showed robed monks in the street shooting video of the multistory monastery before it suddenly fell into the ground. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was harmed. Christian Aid said its partners and colleagues on the ground reported that a dam burst in the city, causing water levels to rise in the lowland areas in the area. The Red Cross said downed power lines added to challenges for their teams trying to reach several hard-hit areas. In Mandalay, which was close to the epicenter, the earthquake damaged part of the former royal palace and buildings, according to videos and photos released on Facebook social media. In the Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, were damaged. In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground. Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a military government spokesperson, told state television MRTV that blood was in high demand in the hospitals in earthquake-hit areas, especially Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyitaw. He urged blood donors to contact the hospitals as soon as possible. The Red Cross said downed power lines are adding to challenges for their teams trying to reach Mandalay and Sagaing regions and southern Shan state. “Initial reports from the ground suggest the earthquake has caused significant damage,” the Red Cross said. “Information on humanitarian needs is still being gathered.” A state of emergency has been declared in six regions and states in Myanmar by the military-run government. State-run MRTV television said the government's proclamation includes the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay, after the earthquake and a strong aftershock, whose epicenter was near the country's second largest city. Myanmar is in the midst of a civil war and many areas are not easily accessible and it was not immediately clear what relief efforts the military would be able to provide. Thai emergency responders said at least two people have been found dead and an unknown number of others are still under the rubble of a collapsed building in Bangkok. Rescue worker Songwut Wangpon, speaking at the scene of a tall pile of rubble that was once a high-rise building under construction, told reporters another seven people had been found alive. Thailand's Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai later said three people had been confirmed dead with 90 others missing following the building collapse. The collapse of the multi-story structure sent a crane on top of it toppling to the ground and created a massive plume of dust. People in the Silom business district of Bangkok evacuated office buildings and condominium towers along Rama IV Road and streamed into nearby Lumphini Park. The sidewalks filled with work crews with neon green shirts, along with other workers in hard hats and blue and green uniform shirts. Along the walkways of the park and the sidewalks of Silom and nearby Sathon, people in business attire and company uniforms huddled or stood in packs talking and checking their phones. Some moving through the crowds were crying or visibly distraught. Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck. “The next thing, everybody came on the street, so there was a lot of screaming and panicking, which obviously made it a lot worse,” he said. As he came onto the street himself, he said he saw a high-rise building swaying and water was falling from a rooftop pool. “When I saw the building, oh my God, that's when ... it hit me,” he said. “There were people crying in the streets and, you know, the panic was horrendous really.” The earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and caused injuries and damage to houses in the city of Ruili on the border with northern Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports. Videos that one outlet said it had received from a person in Ruili showed building debris littering a street and a person being wheeled on a stretcher toward an ambulance. The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn't stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the midday temblor was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with an epicenter in neighboring Myanmar, according to preliminary reports reports. (AP Video by Jerry Harmer) A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday. The extent of death, injury and destruction in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war and where information is tightly controlled at the best of times, was not yet clear. (AP video: Aung Shine Oo) A strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked the Thai capital Friday, causing buildings to sway. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the midday temblor was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with an epicenter in neighboring Myanmar, according to preliminary reports reports. (AP Video by Jerry Harmer) A strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked the Thai capital Friday, causing buildings to sway. Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the midday temblor was a shallow 10 kilometers, with an epicenter in neighboring Myanmar, according to temporary reports. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. A powerful earthquake has rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. Thailand's defense minister says at least 90 people are missing and three are confirmed dead at the site where a high-rise building under construction collapsed when a powerful earthquake hit the capital of Thailand. Dozens of rescuers were seen at work on Friday, entering and leaving the construction site, and the road was blocked with emergency service vehicles. At least two people were killed on Friday after a building collapsed in Bangkok during a strong earthquake in the region. Thai emergency responders also said an unknown number of others were still under the rubble of the building. (AP video/Sakchai Lalit) A 33-story building under construction crumpled into a cloud of dust near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market after a powerful earthquake rocked the region on Friday. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has extended condolences to the people of Myanmar and Thailand after a powerful earthquake struck Friday, killing at least 150 people. The full extent of death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear — particularly in Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries. Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Patients are evacuated outdoors at a hospital after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Tadchakorn Kitchaiphon) Relatives of workers at a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake wait as rescuers search for victims, in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Volunteers look for survivors near a damaged building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Rescue workers take an injured man who was trapped under a building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Damaged pagodas are seen after an earthquake, Friday, March 28, 2025 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) A woman reacts as she watches rescuers at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescue workers help an injured women who was trapped under a building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Rescuers carry an injured from the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) A rescuer walks at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Chutima Lalit) A building is damaged after earthquake Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) The bodies of victims of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake lie on the ground in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, victims caused by an earthquake is seen compound of government hospital Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) A Buddhist monk walks near a damaged building at a monastery compound after an earthquake, Friday, March 28, 2025 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Relatives of victims wait as rescue workers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, early Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Rescuers walk past the ruin of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) BANGKOK (AP) — A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar on Friday, causing extensive damage across a wide swath of one of the world's poorest countries and prompting officials to warn that the initial death toll — above 140 — was likely to grow in the days ahead. In neighboring Thailand, at least six died in Bangkok, where a high-rise under construction collapsed. The full extent of death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear — particularly in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war, and where information is tightly controlled. Rescue workers take an injured man who was trapped under a building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) “The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” the head of Myanmar's military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said as he announced on television that at least 144 people were killed and 730 others were injured in his country. In Thailand, authorities in Bangkok said six people were killed, 22 were injured and 101 were missing from three construction sites, including the high-rise. They revised the death toll Saturday morning from 10 reported the previous day, saying several critically injured people were mistakenly reported dead. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said that more people were believed to be alive in the wreckage as search efforts continued Saturday morning. The 7.7 magnitude quake struck at midday, with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar 's second-largest city. Aftershocks followed, one of them measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude. A woman reacts as she watches rescuers at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Myanmar is in an active earthquake belt, though many of the temblors happen in sparsely populated areas, not cities like those affected Friday. The U.S. Geological Survey, an American government science agency, estimated that the death toll could top 1,000. In Mandalay, the earthquake reportedly brought down multiple buildings, including one of the city's largest monasteries. Photos from the capital city of Naypyidaw showed rescue crews pulling victims from the rubble of multiple buildings used to house civil servants. Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was ready to accept assistance. A 37-member team from the Chinese province of Yunnan reached the city of Yangon early Saturday with earthquake detectors, drones and other supplies, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Russia's emergencies ministry dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from the Russian state news agency Tass. India sent a search and rescue team and a medical team as well as blankets, tarpaulin, hygiene kits, sleeping bags, solar lamps, food packets and kitchen sets, the country's foreign minister posted on X. Malaysia's foreign ministry said the country will send 50 people on Sunday to help identify and provide aid to the worst-hit areas. The United Nations allocated $5 million to start relief efforts. President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance. But amid images of buckled and cracked roads and reports of a collapsed bridge and a burst dam, there were concerns about how rescuers would even reach some areas in a country already enduring a humanitarian crisis. “We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake,” said Mohammed Riyas, the International Rescue Committee's Myanmar director. A Buddhist monk walks near a damaged building at a monastery compound after an earthquake, Friday, March 28, 2025 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Myanmar's English-language state newspaper, Global New Light of Myanmar, said five cities and towns had seen building collapses and two bridges had fallen, including one on a key highway between Mandalay and Yangon. A photo on the newspaper's website showed wreckage of a sign that read “EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT,” which the caption said was part of the capital's main 1,000-bed hospital. Elsewhere, video posted online showed robed monks in a Mandalay street, shooting their own video of the multistory Ma Soe Yane monastery before it suddenly fell into the ground. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was harmed. Video also showed damage to the former royal palace. In this image provided by The Myanmar Military True News Information Team, victims caused by an earthquake is seen compound of government hospital Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP) Christian Aid said its partners and colleagues on the ground reported that a dam burst in the city, causing water levels to rise in the lowland areas. Residents of Yangon, the nation's largest city, rushed out of their homes when the quake struck. In Naypyitaw, some homes stood partly crumbled, while rescuers heaved away bricks from the piles of debris. An injured man reclined on a wheeled stretcher, while another man fanned him in the heat. In a country where many people already were struggling, “this disaster will have left people devastated,” said Julie Mehigan, who oversees Christian Aid's work in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. “Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, we know conflict and displacement has left countless people in real need,” Mehigan said. Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a bloody civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones. Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous or simply impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations. Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) In Thailand, a 33-story building under construction crumpled into a cloud of dust near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market, and onlookers could be seen screaming and running in a video posted on social media. Vehicles on a nearby freeway came to a stop. Sirens blared across the Thai capital's downtown as a rescuers streamed to the wreckage. Above them, shredded steel and broken concrete blocks, some stacked like pancakes, rose in a towering heap. Injured people were rushed away on gurneys, and hospital beds were also wheeled outside onto a sidewalk. “It's a great tragedy,” Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said after viewing the site. Earthquakes are rarely felt in the Bangkok metropolitan area, home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments. Voranoot Thirawat, a lawyer working in central Bangkok, said she first realized something was wrong when she saw a light swinging back and forth. Then she heard the building creaking, and she and her colleagues fled down 12 flights of stairs. People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Chutima Lalit) “In my lifetime, there was no earthquake like this in Bangkok,” she said. Fraser Morton, a tourist from Scotland, was in one of Bangkok's many malls when the quake struck. “All of a sudden, the whole building began to move. Immediately, there was screaming and a lot of panic,” he said. Some people fled down upward-moving escalators, he said. Nearby, Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, recalled seeing a high-rise building swaying, water falling from a rooftop pool and people crying in the streets. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to preliminary reports. Shallower earthquakes tend to cause more damage. To the northeast, the earthquake was felt in China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces and caused damage and injuries in the city of Ruili on the border with Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports. The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn't stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet. Adam Schreck, Haruka Naga, Jerry Harmer, Grant Peck and Penny Wang in Bangkok, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Ken Moritsugu in Beijing, Edith M. Lederer and Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations and Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Drone raid sparks blaze in Dnipro hotel and restaurant complex and injures 19; Ukrainian president says too early to judge Washington's expanded proposal. What we know on day 1,130 A mass Russian drone attack killed four people, injured 19 and sparked a large fire in a hotel and restaurant complex and other buildings in the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro late on Friday, the regional governor said. A high-rise apartment block and nearly 10 homes caught fire, Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram. Firefighting crews had brought the blaze in the hotel complex under control. The casualty toll was likely to rise, with three of the injured in serious condition, Lysak said in an earlier post. “It is also now known that the enemy directed more than 20 drones toward the city. Most of them were downed.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not accept any mineral rights deal that threatened its integration with the European Union but that it was too early to pass judgment on a dramatically expanded minerals deal proposed by Washington. The Ukrainian president said Kyiv's lawyers needed to review the draft before he could say more about the US offer, a summary of which suggested the US was demanding all Ukraine's natural resources income for years. He also said Kyiv would not recognise billions of dollars of past US aid as loans, though he did not say whether such a demand featured in the latest draft version received by a top government official. Zelenskyy said the text was “entirely different” from an earlier framework agreement that he had been set to sign with the US president, Donald Trump, before their talks descended into a televised clash at the White House last month. Ukrainian forces have staged a little-publicised incursion into Russia's Belgorod region, according to Russian military bloggers, just as Kyiv's troops are losing their grip on the pocket of Russia's adjacent Kursk region they captured last year. Several Russian military correspondents said on Friday that Ukrainian troops were inside Belgorod and fighting battles with Russian forces there. Neither Kyiv nor Moscow has confirmed the reports, though Russia's defence ministry said 10 days ago its forces had thwarted five Ukrainian attempts to push across the border in Belgorod. Meanwhile, Ukraine's military said on Friday its air force had struck a border post in Russia's Bryansk region, destroying military infrastructure in an area it had identified as the site of drone launches. Vladimir Putin renewed his call for a “transitional administration” to be put in place in Ukraine to allow for new elections – essentially urging the toppling of Volodymyr Zelenskyy – and vowed Russia's army would “finish off” Ukrainian troops. However, Zelenskyy dismissed Putin's call as his latest ploy to delay a peace deal. And the UN secretary general, António Guterres, said Ukraine had a legitimate government that must be respected. It was not clear how far Putin's idea for a UN-led temporary administration was meant to be taken seriously, reports Dan Sabbagh, given that the Kremlin clarified that he had not raised this idea in recent phone calls with Donald Trump. The UN rights chief called for an end to the “horrific suffering” caused by attacks on civilians in Ukraine. “Recent weeks have seen intense activity around a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, which would be very welcome,” Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council on Friday. “Limited ceasefires that protect shipping lanes and infrastructure are a welcome step forward. What is most needed now is an end to the horrific suffering being inflicted daily in Ukraine.” Donald Trump has pushed for a ceasefire since returning to office in January, “and yet, in parallel with these talks, fighting in Ukraine has intensified, and is killing and injuring even more civilians”, Turk said. “Casualty figures in the first three months of this year were 30% higher than the same period last year.” Ukraine said Friday it had received back the bodies of 909 of its soldiers killed during battles with Russia, in the largest such repatriation in more than three years of war. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, a government agency, said it was “grateful for the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross” and that the remains had been returned from the Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions. The EU's commissioner for agriculture said the bloc expects to reduce farm imports from Ukraine when it renegotiates a trade deal with Kyiv set to expire in June. “Import quotas won't remain the same as in this temporary liberalisation. So, indeed, there will be fewer imports,” Christophe Hansen told Agence France-Presse on Friday, referring to a deal struck after Russia's 2022 invasion granting duty-free access to the bloc for Ukrainian agricultural goods. The International Monetary Fund said on Friday its board completed a review that would enable disbursing $400m to Ukraine to be channelled for budget support. Ukraine's economy remained resilient despite challenging conditions, the IMF said, while adding that Ukraine's economic growth – which slowed in the second half of last year – would see a continued slowdown in 2025 due to a tight labour market and attacks on energy infrastructure.
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City is close to Sagaing faultline and monuments were significantly damaged after the last earthquake in 2016 Rising through the mist of the forest at dawn, with spires reaching more than 200ft, few sights on earth have impressed travellers like the temples and pagodas of Bagan. “Jerusalem, Rome, Kiev, Benares,” wrote the Scottish journalist and colonial administrator James George Scott in 1910, “none of them can boast the multitude of temples, and the lavishness of design and ornament”. Lying close to the major Sagaing fault line in the centre of Myanmar, the 2,200 11th-century Buddhist monuments have long been susceptible to seismic events. “The last earthquake in 2016 caused considerable damage to key monuments,” said Dr Stephen Murphy, a senior lecturer in Asian art at Soas University of London. He added that it was unclear whether Friday's earthquake had caused a similar scale of damage. The stupas and temples were constructed on the banks of the Irrawaddy River by the first unified Burmese kingdom and one of the world's greatest Buddhist civilisations. Bagan's founder, Anawrahta Minsaw, started out with a heroic single combat against his step-brother in about 1044, going on to conquer surrounding nations. One legend, recorded on inscriptions at Bagan, is that he brought back 30,000 prisoners skilled in carving, painting, masonry and many other useful skills, including “men cunning in perfumes, odours, flowers and the juices of flowers”. The cultural effect was profound: more than 10,000 religious shrines were said to have been built, many decorated with intricate detail that has survived earthquakes and ill-judged restorations by the military junta in the 1990s. Declared a Unesco world heritage site in 2019, the city has suffered under political turmoil and violence. Foreign tourism has plummeted in the last 20 years from about 200,000 to a few thousand visitors. “We took many visitors until 2017,” says Marc Leaderman at the travel company Wild Frontiers. “It's a site comparable to Angkor Wat and we're obviously deeply saddened for the people of Myanmar and Thailand.” The site has remained hugely important to local people with more than 400,000 visiting in 2023. Ashley Thompson, a professor of south-east Asian art at Soas, said: “For populations subjected to sustained political violence over past decades, the glimmers Bagan provides of past prosperity can also sustain hope, even as its Buddhist imperial symbolism can be instrumentalised by those in the highest echelons of power.” The site is also home to a museum housing the Myazedi inscription, a pillar dated to 1,113 sometimes called the Burmese Rosetta Stone. It carries four ancient languages, including the earliest known example of Burmese. “The potential cultural loss Bagan is again facing may pale with respect to the loss of life, but will have an enduring impact on a country where today so many people struggle to simply survive,” said Thompson.
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Myanmar Earthquake LIVE Updates: A state of 'emergency' has been declared in Myanmar. At least 694 people were killed and 1,670 injured after six earthquakes - the biggest of 7.7 magnitude - hit near Sagaing in central Myanmar at 12.50pm (local time) Friday. The toll includes casualties from a hospital in capital Naypyidaw - which is likely to become a "mass casualty area", doctors there told news agency AFP - from a mosque in Mandalay that collapsed while people were praying inside, and a university building in the same city in which a fire broke out. Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who warned the number of dead will likely increase, has declared an 'emergency' and appealed for aid, asking for "any country and any organisation" to step forward. Tremors were felt as far away as northern Thailand, where some metro and rail services were suspended in the Thai capital. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra broke off an official visit to Phuket to hold an urgent review meet, after which she too declared a state of 'emergency' in the city. Eight deaths have been confirmed so far in Thailand. China's Yunnan province also reported strong tremors; the China Earthquake Networks Center said the magnitude was 7.9. And mild tremors were also reported from Kolkata in Bengal and parts of Manipur, where tremors of 4.4 magnitude were recorded as well as Dhaka and Chattogram in Bangladesh. Tremors and aftershocks were also felt in Vietnam and Bangladesh. No deaths have been reported from China or elsewhere, so far. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India is ready to offer any assistance needed. "Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone," he posted on X. "... have asked our authorities to be on standby." The leaders of European nations have also offered assistance. Terrifying videos on X showed buildings shaking in Bangkok and other cities, with people running onto the streets in panic. "I heard it... I was sleeping in the house and then I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building," Duangjai, a resident of popular tourist city Chiang Mai, told AFP. One particularly horrifying video showed water from an infinity pool falling over the edge. Whole Bangkok shook like Crazy! #Bangkok #earthquake pic.twitter.com/99v7ySZDGc And another showed a 30-floor, under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok's Chatuchak neighbourhood collapsing. According to Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, 84 workers were trapped. "When I arrived to inspect the site, I heard people calling for help, saying help me," deputy police chief Worapat Sukthai, told AFP. "We estimate hundreds are injured but are still determining number of casualties." At least three deaths were confirmed from this spot so far. Breaking: Video shows the moment a skyscraper under construction collapsed due to earthquake in Bangkok. pic.twitter.com/OIdxc4epKf A hospital in the Myanmar capital received "hundreds of casualties", AFP reported. Horrific visuals showed the entrance arch to the emergency department had collapsed onto a car, forcing medics to treat patients outside and on the road. Meanwhile, an old bridge over the Irrawaddy River and several residential buildings also collapsed, with images from Mandalay (around 24km from Sagaing) suggesting dozens more may be trapped. Devastation across the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, as a result of today's 7.7 magnitude earthquake, with dozens of buildings having collapsed as well as the Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River. pic.twitter.com/8YE8KsxXws Other videos showed extensive damage to the airport in Mandalay and to a monastery near the city of Taunggyi, in Myanmar's Shan State that is on the border to Thailand. A Buddhist monastery collapsed near Taunggyi city, Shan State which is bordered to Thailand. pic.twitter.com/WmRjpndnjn Rescue teams have launched extensive operations to search for survivors but the situation is dire, with reports of collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure, particularly in the Mandalay region. Roads between Mandalay and Yangon were also damaged and this has hampered relief efforts. Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, where six strong quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more struck between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the country. A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake, in the ancient capital Bagan in central Myanmar, killed three people in 2016, also toppling spires and crumbling temple walls at the tourist destination. The impoverished nation has a strained medical system, especially in its rural states. With input from agencies NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Fears are mounting that the months-long ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is at risk of collapse, as conflicts elsewhere in the region expand. BEIRUT — Israel launched a strike on a suburb of the Lebanese capital Friday, the first such attack on Beirut since late last year, when Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire that ended months of deadly fighting. The attacks Friday were the second such exchange of fire in the past week, as fears mount that the months-long fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is at risk of collapse as conflicts elsewhere in the region expand. The building in Beirut's southern suburbs targeted by Israel was near two schools. Israel's military issued an evacuation warning for the neighborhood before the strike. Within minutes, traffic quickly filled the streets, with teachers and parents rushing schoolchildren with backpacks out of the area. Israeli warplanes dropped a handful of “warning” shots — small explosives — onto the area. Then, less than two hours after the evacuation was ordered, the strike hit, collapsing a multistory building. Israel said its strike hit a Hezbollah drones facility in a residential building and was conducted in response to rocket fire. Videos of the aftermath showed thick black smoke rising from a street of tightly packed apartment blocks. The impact of the explosion shook city blocks for miles. Hezbollah issued a statement that it was not behind the rocket fire Friday. The group similarly disavowed involvement when projectiles were launched into Israeli territory last week and said the group remains committed to the ceasefire agreement. The Israeli military said one projectile launched toward Israel was intercepted Friday and that the other fell in Lebanese territory. The Lebanese Army issued a statement that it identified the rocket launch site in Lebanon's south and “has begun an investigation to determine the identity of those launching them.” “Whoever has not yet internalized the new situation in Lebanon, has received an additional reminder of our determination. The equation has changed; what prevailed before Oct. 7 will not recur,” said a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We will continue to strongly enforce the ceasefire. We will attack anywhere in Lebanon against any threat to the State of Israel. We will ensure that all of our residents of the north will return safely to their homes,” he said. Hezbollah, a militant group and Lebanese political party backed by Iran, renewed its attacks on Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group and fellow Iranian ally Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The exchanges of fire along Lebanon's border erupted into all-out war in September, after which the two sides fought a grueling campaign before agreeing to a ceasefire in November. Lebanese officials cautioned against further escalations. President Joseph Aoun condemned the attacks, warning against “any suspicious attempt to return Lebanon to a cycle of violence,” according to Lebanese state media. Aoun issued the statement after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, where he called on “Lebanon's friends to act quickly to halt the deterioration.” Israel also conducted strikes on more than 10 Lebanese towns and villages in the country's south and east Friday, attacks that continued into the night, according to Lebanese state media. Lebanon's health ministry said five people were killed and 20 injured by the strikes. No toll was given for Beirut, where rescue teams continued to search the rubble. The attack on Beirut's southern suburbs was a grim reminder of the months-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that displaced more than a million and left thousands dead. Evacuation warnings were a daily occurrence during the war, with multiple warnings issued in a single night at times, emptying entire neighborhoods. But since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire in November, residents have returned to their homes, with normalcy returning, haltingly, to the area. After the evacuation warning was issued Friday, one father, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution, told The Washington Post that people were in a panic trying to move their children to safety. He said he took his two sons, ages 9 and 10, away from their home nearby, but could barely move. Traffic choked the streets, he said, and moving just a few meters took a long time. While the ceasefire has held for four months, Israel has not withdrawn its forces from Lebanese territory and has regularly conducted strikes, killing several of the group's commanders. The ceasefire called for all Israeli forces to withdraw by mid-February, but last month Israel said it would not meet the deadline without providing information on the withdrawal timeline going forward. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that attacks like the Friday strike on Beirut would continue as long as rockets are launched from Lebanese territory. “For every attempt to harm the communities of the Galilee, the rooftops of buildings in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut will tremble,” he said, referring to the southern suburb by its Arabic name. Katz also called on the Lebanese government to hold Hezbollah to the ceasefire agreement with Israel. “I send a clear message from here to the Lebanese government: If you do not enforce the ceasefire agreement — we will,” he said. George reported from Dubai. Alon Rom in Tel Aviv contributed to this report. Israel's military launched a large-scale bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip on 18 March, breaking the fragile ceasefire with Hamas that had been in place since late January. Follow live updates on the ceasefire and the hostages remaining in Gaza. The Israel-Gaza war: On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking civilian hostages. Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel's creation in 1948. In July 2024, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an attack Hamas has blamed on Israel. Hezbollah: In late 2024, Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire deal, bringing a tenuous halt to more than a year of hostilities that included an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. Israel's airstrikes into Lebanon had been intense and deadly, killing over 1,400 people including Hasan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's longtime leader. The Israel-Lebanon border has a history of violence that dates back to Israel's founding. Gaza crisis: In the Gaza Strip, Israel has waged one of this century's most destructive wars, killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “famine-like conditions.” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave. U.S. involvement: Despite tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians, including former President Joe Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons, funds aid packages, and has vetoed or abstained from the United Nations' ceasefire resolutions.
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Subscribe Now! Get features like U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his first call with new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was “extremely productive” and Carney said Trump respected Canada's sovereignty both in private and public but added that the relationship has changed. The call came as Trump has declared a trade war on Canada and has threatened to use economic coercion to make Canada the 51st U.S. state, a position that has infuriated Canadians. Trump avoided any mention of that in his social media post and in public remarks later. “We had a very good conversation. Mark called me,” Trump said. “We had a very very good talk. He's going through an election. We'll see what happens.” Trump didn't refer to the prime minister as governor as he did with Carney's predecessor Justin Trudeau. The U.S. president, in his social media post, said the two sides “agree on many things and will be meeting immediately after Canada's upcoming Election to work on elements of Politics, Business, and all other factors, that will end up being great for both the United States of America and Canada.” But Trump said more tariffs are coming. And Carney said Trump didn't say he would pull back on tariffs on steel and aluminum, autos and other products. “It is clear that the United States is no longer a reliable partner. It is probable now that by negotiating we will able to restore an element of trust but we cannot go back," Carney said. Carney previously said he would talk to Trump if he respected Canada's sovereignty. “The president respected Canada's sovereignty today both in his private and public comments,” Carney said. He described the call as positive, cordial and constructive. “Exactly what we want,” Carney said. Carney said he will begin comprehensive negotiations for a “new economic and security relationship” immediately after the Canadian election on April 28. Carney, who replaced Trudeau as Canada's leader and the head of the Liberal Party, is at the start of a five-week campaign. “What we need is a new agreement and a new partnership with the United States because there are too many changes, to many tariffs and too many threats coming at us,” Carney said. “There is too much uncertainty in that relationship. We made progress but we will see.” The former central banker was sworn in as Canada's new prime minister on March 14. It's unusual for a U.S. president and Canadian prime minister to go so long without talking after a new leader takes office. Trump ramped up his trade war this week by announcing a 25% tariff on automobile imports. Autos are Canada's second largest export. Trump previously placed 25% tariffs on Canada's steel and aluminum and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products — as well as on all of America's trading partners — on April 2. Carney said the significant transformation that Trump is seeking in repatriating manufacturing in the U.S. could lead to inflation and slowing growth. But he said reaching a deal with America's most important trading partner will help Americans and Canadians. “We are going to end up with a very good relationship with Canada,” Trump said. Canada has previously said it would retaliate with counter tariffs, and Carney reiterated that in his call with Trump. U.S. Vice President JD Vance took a harder line with Canada on Friday, noting the country is threatening retaliatory tariffs. “As President Trump always says they just don't have the cards,” Vance said in Greenland. “There is no way that Canada can win a trade war with the United States." Vance claimed that for decades Canada has forced American farmers and manufacturers to play by an unfair set of rules. Trump renegotiated the free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico in his first term. At the time Trump called it the “most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country, with the most advanced protections for workers ever developed." Trump and Carney agreed that Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's minister of international trade, and United States Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, will intensify talks to address the coming tariffs in the interim. The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war and challenged Canada's sovereignty. The crisis has created a surge in patriotism among Canadians, with many in the country feeling that Carney is the best person to lead the country at the moment. Trump previously acknowledged that he has upended Canadian politics.
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Subscribe Now! Get features like A massive earthquake of 7.7 magnitude and an aftershock of 6.4 struck Myanmar and also jolted its neighbouring country of Thailand on Friday, causing severe destruction in the regions. Myanmar's ruling junta chief on Saturday said that the death toll has passed 1,000 and the tally of injured persons stands at a figure above 2,000. In Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, at least 10 persons lost their lives, with several others injured and missing, reports said. The quake, which struck in early afternoon, also caused some damage in China. The tremors were reportedly felt in the southwest Yunnan province, with Beijing's earthquake agency reporting the jolt as a 7.9 magnitude one. People were seen rushing out of buildings, seeking shelter any place they could find as extremely heavy tremors rocked the country. Meanwhile, the quake tremors also caused swimming pools of skyscrapers and other high-rise buildings to turn into waterfalls, with all the water getting emptied onto roads and sweeping people off. A purported video, likely from China, showed the moments before and after a rooftop pool in the earthquake zone emptied onto the streets and swept the people present there off their feet. Another unverified video showed huge quantities of pool water cascading down a massive skyscraper in Bangkok as the earthquake struck Myanmar and affected Thailand as well. The water was seen getting emptied onto roads with an extremely high intensity. A purported video from one of the high-rise buildings in Bangkok showed some people still present in the rooftop swimming pool when the affect of the strong earthquake left the pool water swaying back and forth, cascading down the building with force. Slew of pool water was purportedly seen flowing down a skyscraper in Bangkok as a massive earthquake struck Myanmar early on Friday afternoon. With heavy force, the pool water was captured hitting the roads. However, HT.com couldn't independently verify the veracity of these visuals. Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry said that the country stood ready to do its best to provide emergency humanitarian assistance and support to the calamity-hit Myanmar. The statement said that Beijing wants to help "people there carry out disaster relief and rescue and pull through this trying time". The ministry spokesperson also extended Beijing's "sincere sympathies" Myanmar, saying that the people of China and Myanmar enjoy a profound "pauk-phaw" friendship, in reference to the particularly close ties between the two countries. For rescue and relief efforts, the United Nations has also allocated $5 million for emergency relief fund to earthquakes. Stéphane Dujarric, the U.N. spokesperson, told reporters that the fund was made as international and local UN staff are working to gather information on the number of people hit, infrastructures damaged and scope of humanitarian needs, in view of the massive quake.
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Amid visa revocation of students, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday stressed that international students must adhere to the terms of their visas, adding, “If we've given you a visa and then you decide to do that, we're going to take it away.” The statement came over US government revoking the visa of Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk after she allegedly engaged in activities beyond the scope of her student visa. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday confirmed the move during a joint press conference with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, stating, “We revoked her visa...We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist that tears up our university campuses.” Rumeysa Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by federal agents outside her off-campus apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Tuesday night. Rumeysa Ozturk now joins a growing list of international students, including Indians, under scrutiny by federal immigration officials. The 27-year-old, a Muslim, was reportedly on her way to break her Ramadan fast when she was taken into custody. Her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, expressed concern over her whereabouts, noting that they had been unable to contact her, and no charges had been filed against her. A Homeland Security spokesperson claimed that Ozturk had "engaged in activities in support of" Hamas, which they said was grounds for terminating her visa. Ozturk has since filed a court petition to challenge her detention's legality. Late Tuesday, Judge Indira Talwani of the Federal District Court in Massachusetts ordered that Rumeysa Ozturk not be removed from the state without prior notice to the court. It remains unclear whether the government complied with this order. The incident has raised concerns among the Tufts University community, with President Sunil Kumar acknowledging that the university had no prior knowledge of the detention plans and did not cooperate with federal authorities ahead of time. Ozturk, who had been involved in campus activism, co-authored an opinion piece in March that criticized Tufts University for its handling of demands related to Palestinian issues.
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Former Israeli ambassadors wrote an "appeal to world Jewry" letter to diaspora Jews discussing the government undermining "pride and security for world Jewry" on Thursday.The 24 former ambassadors and senior diplomats requested that Jews worldwide "support the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are fighting to keep our country Jewish and democratic," as "the current government harms the pride and security of world Jewry. The majority of the public does not support the government."The diplomats expressed that they are struggling to maintain the country as Jewish and democratic, vibrant and viable, which is why they are appealing to "our Jewish brothers and sisters in the diaspora to raise their voices regarding Israel's ongoing internal crisis." "Israel has long been a source of both pride and security for world Jewry; its current government is actively undermining both," they added.The senior diplomats who signed the document were Opher Aviran; Arthur Avnon; Dan Ashbel; Gadi Baltiansky; Rafael (Rafi) Barak; Baruch Binah; Nissim Ben Shitrit; Haim Divon; Udi Eitam; Eran Etzion; Shlomo Gur; Liora Herzl; Tova Herzl; Eviatar Manor; Amos Nadai; Daniel Pinhassi; Yael Rubinstein; Tamar Sam Ash; Raphael Schutz; Daniel Shek; Mark Soffer; Nadav Tamir; David Walzer; Gershon Zohar. Liberal and Reform Jews participating in a rally, in support of Israel In San Jose, CA (credit: TZAMERET BEN DAVID)The key points of the letterThe ambassadors decided to sign the formal petition because they believe Benjamin Netanyahu's government is working to undermine basic elements of democracy: independent courts, separation of powers, the rule of law, and freedom of expression."Even as international credit ratings drop, taxes increase, and services are cut, additional resources are directed at appeasing coalition partners, notably the ultra-Orthodox," they explained. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. The 24 former ambassadors and senior diplomats requested that Jews worldwide "support the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are fighting to keep our country Jewish and democratic," as "the current government harms the pride and security of world Jewry. The majority of the public does not support the government."The diplomats expressed that they are struggling to maintain the country as Jewish and democratic, vibrant and viable, which is why they are appealing to "our Jewish brothers and sisters in the diaspora to raise their voices regarding Israel's ongoing internal crisis." "Israel has long been a source of both pride and security for world Jewry; its current government is actively undermining both," they added.The senior diplomats who signed the document were Opher Aviran; Arthur Avnon; Dan Ashbel; Gadi Baltiansky; Rafael (Rafi) Barak; Baruch Binah; Nissim Ben Shitrit; Haim Divon; Udi Eitam; Eran Etzion; Shlomo Gur; Liora Herzl; Tova Herzl; Eviatar Manor; Amos Nadai; Daniel Pinhassi; Yael Rubinstein; Tamar Sam Ash; Raphael Schutz; Daniel Shek; Mark Soffer; Nadav Tamir; David Walzer; Gershon Zohar. Liberal and Reform Jews participating in a rally, in support of Israel In San Jose, CA (credit: TZAMERET BEN DAVID)The key points of the letterThe ambassadors decided to sign the formal petition because they believe Benjamin Netanyahu's government is working to undermine basic elements of democracy: independent courts, separation of powers, the rule of law, and freedom of expression."Even as international credit ratings drop, taxes increase, and services are cut, additional resources are directed at appeasing coalition partners, notably the ultra-Orthodox," they explained. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. The diplomats expressed that they are struggling to maintain the country as Jewish and democratic, vibrant and viable, which is why they are appealing to "our Jewish brothers and sisters in the diaspora to raise their voices regarding Israel's ongoing internal crisis." "Israel has long been a source of both pride and security for world Jewry; its current government is actively undermining both," they added.The senior diplomats who signed the document were Opher Aviran; Arthur Avnon; Dan Ashbel; Gadi Baltiansky; Rafael (Rafi) Barak; Baruch Binah; Nissim Ben Shitrit; Haim Divon; Udi Eitam; Eran Etzion; Shlomo Gur; Liora Herzl; Tova Herzl; Eviatar Manor; Amos Nadai; Daniel Pinhassi; Yael Rubinstein; Tamar Sam Ash; Raphael Schutz; Daniel Shek; Mark Soffer; Nadav Tamir; David Walzer; Gershon Zohar. Liberal and Reform Jews participating in a rally, in support of Israel In San Jose, CA (credit: TZAMERET BEN DAVID)The key points of the letterThe ambassadors decided to sign the formal petition because they believe Benjamin Netanyahu's government is working to undermine basic elements of democracy: independent courts, separation of powers, the rule of law, and freedom of expression."Even as international credit ratings drop, taxes increase, and services are cut, additional resources are directed at appeasing coalition partners, notably the ultra-Orthodox," they explained. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. "Israel has long been a source of both pride and security for world Jewry; its current government is actively undermining both," they added.The senior diplomats who signed the document were Opher Aviran; Arthur Avnon; Dan Ashbel; Gadi Baltiansky; Rafael (Rafi) Barak; Baruch Binah; Nissim Ben Shitrit; Haim Divon; Udi Eitam; Eran Etzion; Shlomo Gur; Liora Herzl; Tova Herzl; Eviatar Manor; Amos Nadai; Daniel Pinhassi; Yael Rubinstein; Tamar Sam Ash; Raphael Schutz; Daniel Shek; Mark Soffer; Nadav Tamir; David Walzer; Gershon Zohar. Liberal and Reform Jews participating in a rally, in support of Israel In San Jose, CA (credit: TZAMERET BEN DAVID)The key points of the letterThe ambassadors decided to sign the formal petition because they believe Benjamin Netanyahu's government is working to undermine basic elements of democracy: independent courts, separation of powers, the rule of law, and freedom of expression."Even as international credit ratings drop, taxes increase, and services are cut, additional resources are directed at appeasing coalition partners, notably the ultra-Orthodox," they explained. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. The senior diplomats who signed the document were Opher Aviran; Arthur Avnon; Dan Ashbel; Gadi Baltiansky; Rafael (Rafi) Barak; Baruch Binah; Nissim Ben Shitrit; Haim Divon; Udi Eitam; Eran Etzion; Shlomo Gur; Liora Herzl; Tova Herzl; Eviatar Manor; Amos Nadai; Daniel Pinhassi; Yael Rubinstein; Tamar Sam Ash; Raphael Schutz; Daniel Shek; Mark Soffer; Nadav Tamir; David Walzer; Gershon Zohar. Liberal and Reform Jews participating in a rally, in support of Israel In San Jose, CA (credit: TZAMERET BEN DAVID)The key points of the letterThe ambassadors decided to sign the formal petition because they believe Benjamin Netanyahu's government is working to undermine basic elements of democracy: independent courts, separation of powers, the rule of law, and freedom of expression."Even as international credit ratings drop, taxes increase, and services are cut, additional resources are directed at appeasing coalition partners, notably the ultra-Orthodox," they explained. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. The ambassadors decided to sign the formal petition because they believe Benjamin Netanyahu's government is working to undermine basic elements of democracy: independent courts, separation of powers, the rule of law, and freedom of expression."Even as international credit ratings drop, taxes increase, and services are cut, additional resources are directed at appeasing coalition partners, notably the ultra-Orthodox," they explained. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. "Even as international credit ratings drop, taxes increase, and services are cut, additional resources are directed at appeasing coalition partners, notably the ultra-Orthodox," they explained. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. Additionally, they expressed their views on one of the most controversial issues in Israel: "While Haredi exemption from military service proceeds through the Knesset, those who serve are called again to fight in Gaza, and public opinion is clear - resuming battle (which threatens the hostages) is due to demands of the far-right. All these result in a growing schism, a threat to the cohesion of Israeli society, which is vital to confront ongoing challenges."The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. The ambassadors made an important point, explaining that even though Jewish organizations and leaders have consistently supported the actions of Israel's elected governments, just as they, as diplomats, had set aside personal views, "this is not the moment for formalities, nor is it a matter of political sides."We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded. "We urgently urge you to show your support for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis fighting to preserve our nation as a Jewish and democratic, thriving, and sustainable state," they concluded.
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Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa is flying into South Florida in an unannounced, last-minute visit to meet with President Trump and he's expected to push for US support in the fight against violent drug gangs in Ecuador as they're preparing to host American troops. CNN's David Culver was granted rare access on the ground embedded with Ecuadorian police and military during overnight raids across gang strongholds. © 2025 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.
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It is wrong to understate the importance of the university in Western society. While it is also hard to quantify immediate return on investment, the trickle-down effects on society are proven.Mathematicians who work on obscure formulas may, one day, find applications in GPS satellites or microchips. In the humanities and social sciences, the trickle-down effect on society is also significant, if less often acknowledged.The jargon used against Israel today was created in British universities. Scholars were the first to use the terms “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” to describe Israeli action against Palestinians in the 1980s and 1990s. In those years, they were written off as just a few quirks, but with time – and Qatari and Saudi funding of Middle East departments – their narrative took hold. They were so successful that today any student taking a basic course on the Middle East will hear Israel described as an “occupier” and “aggressor. The terms genocide and ethnic cleansing have become commonplace to describe Israel in the real world. SIGNS ARE displayed in front of Deering Meadow, at an encampment of pro-Palestinian activists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in April 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Nate Swanson)SIMILARLY, CONCEPTS such as the “matrix of oppression” and “intersectionality,” all began at the university and have made their way into society at large.This has come to affect Jews in the West today, regardless of their stance on or affinity for Israel. This is especially true on university campuses, where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish student activists are met with faculty and administration who are either sympathetic to their stance or cowered into silence by it. Combatting the new trend of Western antisemitism To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. Mathematicians who work on obscure formulas may, one day, find applications in GPS satellites or microchips. In the humanities and social sciences, the trickle-down effect on society is also significant, if less often acknowledged.The jargon used against Israel today was created in British universities. Scholars were the first to use the terms “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” to describe Israeli action against Palestinians in the 1980s and 1990s. In those years, they were written off as just a few quirks, but with time – and Qatari and Saudi funding of Middle East departments – their narrative took hold. They were so successful that today any student taking a basic course on the Middle East will hear Israel described as an “occupier” and “aggressor. The terms genocide and ethnic cleansing have become commonplace to describe Israel in the real world. SIGNS ARE displayed in front of Deering Meadow, at an encampment of pro-Palestinian activists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in April 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Nate Swanson)SIMILARLY, CONCEPTS such as the “matrix of oppression” and “intersectionality,” all began at the university and have made their way into society at large.This has come to affect Jews in the West today, regardless of their stance on or affinity for Israel. This is especially true on university campuses, where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish student activists are met with faculty and administration who are either sympathetic to their stance or cowered into silence by it. Combatting the new trend of Western antisemitism To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. The jargon used against Israel today was created in British universities. Scholars were the first to use the terms “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” to describe Israeli action against Palestinians in the 1980s and 1990s. In those years, they were written off as just a few quirks, but with time – and Qatari and Saudi funding of Middle East departments – their narrative took hold. They were so successful that today any student taking a basic course on the Middle East will hear Israel described as an “occupier” and “aggressor. The terms genocide and ethnic cleansing have become commonplace to describe Israel in the real world. SIGNS ARE displayed in front of Deering Meadow, at an encampment of pro-Palestinian activists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in April 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Nate Swanson)SIMILARLY, CONCEPTS such as the “matrix of oppression” and “intersectionality,” all began at the university and have made their way into society at large.This has come to affect Jews in the West today, regardless of their stance on or affinity for Israel. This is especially true on university campuses, where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish student activists are met with faculty and administration who are either sympathetic to their stance or cowered into silence by it. Combatting the new trend of Western antisemitism To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. In those years, they were written off as just a few quirks, but with time – and Qatari and Saudi funding of Middle East departments – their narrative took hold. They were so successful that today any student taking a basic course on the Middle East will hear Israel described as an “occupier” and “aggressor. The terms genocide and ethnic cleansing have become commonplace to describe Israel in the real world. SIGNS ARE displayed in front of Deering Meadow, at an encampment of pro-Palestinian activists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in April 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Nate Swanson)SIMILARLY, CONCEPTS such as the “matrix of oppression” and “intersectionality,” all began at the university and have made their way into society at large.This has come to affect Jews in the West today, regardless of their stance on or affinity for Israel. This is especially true on university campuses, where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish student activists are met with faculty and administration who are either sympathetic to their stance or cowered into silence by it. Combatting the new trend of Western antisemitism To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. They were so successful that today any student taking a basic course on the Middle East will hear Israel described as an “occupier” and “aggressor. The terms genocide and ethnic cleansing have become commonplace to describe Israel in the real world. SIGNS ARE displayed in front of Deering Meadow, at an encampment of pro-Palestinian activists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in April 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Nate Swanson)SIMILARLY, CONCEPTS such as the “matrix of oppression” and “intersectionality,” all began at the university and have made their way into society at large.This has come to affect Jews in the West today, regardless of their stance on or affinity for Israel. This is especially true on university campuses, where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish student activists are met with faculty and administration who are either sympathetic to their stance or cowered into silence by it. Combatting the new trend of Western antisemitism To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. SIMILARLY, CONCEPTS such as the “matrix of oppression” and “intersectionality,” all began at the university and have made their way into society at large.This has come to affect Jews in the West today, regardless of their stance on or affinity for Israel. This is especially true on university campuses, where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish student activists are met with faculty and administration who are either sympathetic to their stance or cowered into silence by it. Combatting the new trend of Western antisemitism To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. This has come to affect Jews in the West today, regardless of their stance on or affinity for Israel. This is especially true on university campuses, where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish student activists are met with faculty and administration who are either sympathetic to their stance or cowered into silence by it. Combatting the new trend of Western antisemitism To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. To reverse this trend, one needs to combat this new form of Western antisemitism in the place where it began and which continues to feed it: the university. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. While there are ample scholars expositing on how demonic the Jewish state is, there are few scholars or academic papers in peer-reviewed journals questioning whether this may be a new form of antisemitism.Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. Until very recently, the few scholars of antisemitism worldwide focused their study on the Holocaust or earlier forms of antisemitism. No one wanted to discuss, write about, or research contemporary antisemitism in its most recent form: in its overlap with anti-Zionism. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter The recently reconstituted Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism is one of the very few university-based research centers dedicated to scholarship on contemporary antisemitism. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. We are co-hosting with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism the largest academic conference on contemporary antisemitism, which begins on Sunday in London.The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. The conference brings together a growing number of academics from a variety of disciplines who have recently begun to focus on antisemitism because it has become such a critical issue today. Next year's conference will be held at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. With an accomplished group of international fellows specializing in topics and geographies across the globe – from India to the former Soviet Union, from France and Hungary to North America – we are here to research, publish, and discuss antisemitism in its contemporary forms in an academically rigorous and fearless way.The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. The effort to create scholarship on antisemitism within the academy today is essential for the continued flourishing of Jewish communities and for the health of the academy and, by extension, Western society.David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa. David Barak-Gorodetsky and Jacob Dallal direct and manage, respectively, the Elizabeth and Tony Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at the University of Haifa.
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What do a Yale scholar, a Columbia student, a Georgetown researcher, 60 colleges and universities under investigation for relentless antisemitic eruptions, and Hamas have in common? In traditional times, the answer should be absolutely nothing.Institutions such as Yale, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, and Columbia were once guardians of liberal democratic values, committed to fighting hatred and violence. Yet, today, this is far from the case. A dangerous alliance has formed between the progressive movement in the United States and radical Muslim groups, using the guise of victimhood to create an anti-American coalition. Though antisemitic and anti-Israel at its core, the ultimate goal of this Red-Green coalition is far broader: the systematic destruction of America from within.To accomplish its goal, the movement has exploited American institutions, using democracy itself as a tool to undermine the very values that have made the United States the world's most successful democracy. Advertisement Graduating students rise in support of 13 students not able to graduate because of their participation in pro-Palestinian protests during the 373rd Commencement Exercises at Harvard University, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, May 23, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)For years, the Islamo-leftist alliance has been laying the groundwork to infiltrate academia, starting with faculty and staff before trickling down to students. With foreign funding funneled into higher education institutions, this campaign of radicalization has steadily gained ground. The results became undeniable after Hamas's October 7 barbaric attack on Israel when the alliance mobilized in force, targeting America and its closest ally, Israel. Over the past several years, the Red-Green network of terror sympathizers has systematically radicalized young minds, fostering a generation that views America as an illegitimate entity. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Institutions such as Yale, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, and Columbia were once guardians of liberal democratic values, committed to fighting hatred and violence. Yet, today, this is far from the case. A dangerous alliance has formed between the progressive movement in the United States and radical Muslim groups, using the guise of victimhood to create an anti-American coalition. Though antisemitic and anti-Israel at its core, the ultimate goal of this Red-Green coalition is far broader: the systematic destruction of America from within.To accomplish its goal, the movement has exploited American institutions, using democracy itself as a tool to undermine the very values that have made the United States the world's most successful democracy. Advertisement Graduating students rise in support of 13 students not able to graduate because of their participation in pro-Palestinian protests during the 373rd Commencement Exercises at Harvard University, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, May 23, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)For years, the Islamo-leftist alliance has been laying the groundwork to infiltrate academia, starting with faculty and staff before trickling down to students. With foreign funding funneled into higher education institutions, this campaign of radicalization has steadily gained ground. The results became undeniable after Hamas's October 7 barbaric attack on Israel when the alliance mobilized in force, targeting America and its closest ally, Israel. Over the past several years, the Red-Green network of terror sympathizers has systematically radicalized young minds, fostering a generation that views America as an illegitimate entity. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. A dangerous alliance has formed between the progressive movement in the United States and radical Muslim groups, using the guise of victimhood to create an anti-American coalition. Though antisemitic and anti-Israel at its core, the ultimate goal of this Red-Green coalition is far broader: the systematic destruction of America from within.To accomplish its goal, the movement has exploited American institutions, using democracy itself as a tool to undermine the very values that have made the United States the world's most successful democracy. Advertisement Graduating students rise in support of 13 students not able to graduate because of their participation in pro-Palestinian protests during the 373rd Commencement Exercises at Harvard University, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, May 23, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)For years, the Islamo-leftist alliance has been laying the groundwork to infiltrate academia, starting with faculty and staff before trickling down to students. With foreign funding funneled into higher education institutions, this campaign of radicalization has steadily gained ground. The results became undeniable after Hamas's October 7 barbaric attack on Israel when the alliance mobilized in force, targeting America and its closest ally, Israel. Over the past several years, the Red-Green network of terror sympathizers has systematically radicalized young minds, fostering a generation that views America as an illegitimate entity. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. To accomplish its goal, the movement has exploited American institutions, using democracy itself as a tool to undermine the very values that have made the United States the world's most successful democracy. Advertisement Graduating students rise in support of 13 students not able to graduate because of their participation in pro-Palestinian protests during the 373rd Commencement Exercises at Harvard University, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, May 23, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)For years, the Islamo-leftist alliance has been laying the groundwork to infiltrate academia, starting with faculty and staff before trickling down to students. With foreign funding funneled into higher education institutions, this campaign of radicalization has steadily gained ground. The results became undeniable after Hamas's October 7 barbaric attack on Israel when the alliance mobilized in force, targeting America and its closest ally, Israel. Over the past several years, the Red-Green network of terror sympathizers has systematically radicalized young minds, fostering a generation that views America as an illegitimate entity. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. For years, the Islamo-leftist alliance has been laying the groundwork to infiltrate academia, starting with faculty and staff before trickling down to students. With foreign funding funneled into higher education institutions, this campaign of radicalization has steadily gained ground. The results became undeniable after Hamas's October 7 barbaric attack on Israel when the alliance mobilized in force, targeting America and its closest ally, Israel. Over the past several years, the Red-Green network of terror sympathizers has systematically radicalized young minds, fostering a generation that views America as an illegitimate entity. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. The results became undeniable after Hamas's October 7 barbaric attack on Israel when the alliance mobilized in force, targeting America and its closest ally, Israel. Over the past several years, the Red-Green network of terror sympathizers has systematically radicalized young minds, fostering a generation that views America as an illegitimate entity. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Over the past several years, the Red-Green network of terror sympathizers has systematically radicalized young minds, fostering a generation that views America as an illegitimate entity. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. They push for open borders, the abolition of law and order, and the delegitimization of democratic governance, all under the banner of “justice” and “liberation.” But their goals are clear: to dismantle the very foundations of American society. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter The consequences are visible. Radicalized student mobs have stormed administrative offices, taken over campus buildings, and issued violent threats against those who dared to dissent. Freedom of speech has been suffocated unless it aligns with the Islamo-leftist narrative. AdvertisementThe terror connection: The threat withinWe now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. We now have evidence linking these radical campus activists to terror groups openly calling for the destruction of America.Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Consider Helyeh Doutaghi, an Iranian academic recently suspended from Yale for her involvement with Samidoun, a US-designated terrorist entity. Doutaghi has openly called for a fight against America and the overthrow of its so-called “dictatorship.”Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Then there's Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led initiative that seeks to dismantle both Israel and the United States. CUAD views America as an imperialist power, referring to its own activism as a fight from “within the belly of the beast.” Khalil and CUAD activists have led aggressive protests, disrupted campus events, and pressured universities to cut ties with pro-American institutions. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Now, Khalil's legal case has become a rallying cry for leftist activists, who misleadingly frame it as a free speech issue while conveniently ignoring his open hostility toward the United States. His support among the progressive Left underscores the extent to which the Islamo-leftist alliance has gained influence, shaping the next generation of political extremists.The collapse of the progressive movementThe progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. The progressive movement has long harbored radical elements, but for many years, they remained on the fringes. Today, however, the radicals are no longer on the fringe; they are setting the agenda.Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Leading progressive organizations now openly embrace slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Bring Down the Empire.” Many young students chant these phrases without understanding their true meaning, believing they are fighting for “justice.” Yet, these are not metaphors. The Red-Green radicals themselves admit they are direct calls for violence against American citizens.At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. At its core, the movement's anti-American rhetoric represents a direct attack on the principles that define this nation. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. The United States was founded on liberty, democracy, and the rule of law, principles that have made it the freest and most prosperous country in history. But the Islamo-leftist alliance sees these values as obstacles to its agenda. It embraces socialism, authoritarianism, and the suppression of free speech through intimidation and mob violence.By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. By radicalizing young Americans through university protests and social media propaganda, this movement is fueling a domestic insurgency designed to destabilize the nation from within.This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. This movement is not just a campus issue. It is a national security threat. It aligns itself with America's foreign adversaries, openly supporting authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, Qatar, and Venezuela while demonizing US foreign policy.Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Radical activists in the US describe American military efforts against Hezbollah and the Houthis, both designated as terrorist organizations, as “American terrorism.” Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Their hostility toward national sovereignty is evident in their push for open borders, knowing full well that a country without borders ceases to be a country at all. This is not about humanitarianism; it is about eroding America's strength, identity, and ability to defend itself.The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. The radicalization of American academia is no longer a fringe issue. It is a clear and present danger to national security. What we see on college campuses is a symptom of a larger problem: an organized effort to undermine America from within.Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Universities, media outlets, and political institutions must stop legitimizing these extremist groups in the name of free speech. Law enforcement must take decisive action against those inciting violence. And American citizens must recognize that this fight is not about Jews or Israel; it is about the future of the United States itself.By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. By exposing and holding these extremists accountable, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of democracy and freedom. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. It is time for Americans to unite in defense of our country, reaffirm our commitment to its founding ideals, and resist the forces seeking to divide and destroy us. The future of the nation depends on it.Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP. Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American “Strategic Venture Philanthropist.” He can be reached at adam@milsteinff.org, on X/Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP.
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Rümeysa Öztürk was taken from street by masked, plainclothes officers in a Boston-area suburb on Tuesday A Tufts University student who was detained by US immigration authorities this week, in an arrest that caused widespread outrage, cannot be deported without a court order, a US judge ordered on Friday. Rümeysa Öztürk, 30, was detained by masked, plainclothes officers as she walked in a Boston-area suburb on Tuesday, an incident that was captured on surveillance footage that has since gone viral. Öztürk, who is being threatened with deportation to Turkey, is a Fulbright scholar and doctoral student in the US with a visa. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said Öztürk's visa was terminated, accusing her of engaging in activities in support of Hamas, but providing no evidence to substantiate that claim. Her attorneys, which include lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union, have said the arrest appeared to be retaliation for an opinion piece that she and three other students co-wrote for the student newspaper last year, advocating that the university “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide” and “divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel”. After Öztürk's lawyers filed an amended complaint on Friday, the US district judge Denise Casper issued a brief order stipulating that Öztürk “shall not be removed from the United States until further order of this court”. The judge also ordered the US government to respond to Öztürk's latest claims by Tuesday evening. Öztürk has not been charged with or accused of any crime, her lawyers say. “This is a first step in getting Rümeysa released and back home to Boston so she can continue her studies. But we never should have gotten here in the first place: Rümeysa's experience is shocking, cruel, and unconstitutional,” Mahsa Khanbabai, one of her attorneys, said in a statement on Friday evening. “Criticizing US foreign policy and human rights violations is neither illegal nor grounds for detention … The government must immediately release Rümeysa to continue her studies and rejoin her community.” The Trump administration has increasingly sought to deport students and academics who had varying degrees of involvement in pro-Palestinian campus activism last year, including permanent residents with green cards. Öztürk was on the phone with her mother and headed to an Iftar to break her Ramadan fast with friends when the officers confronted and apprehended her, the Boston Globe reported. A 32-year-old whose camera captured the arrest told the AP it “looked like a kidnapping”. Khanbabai had written emergency filings on Tuesday, which secured a court ruling that her client not be removed from Massachusetts without advance notice. Despite that order from US district judge Indira Talwani, officials with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (Ice), which is part of DHS, transferred Öztürk to Louisiana without notifying her counsel, the court or US Department of Justice lawyers, according to the ACLU. For nearly a full day after her arrest, Öztürk's family, attorneys and friends could not locate or reach her, and when lawyers did finally speak with her, they learned Öztürk had suffered an asthma attack while being transported to Louisiana, the ACLU says. When questioned by reporters about her arrest, Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, suggested the US was revoking visas from “people that are supportive of movements that run counter to the foreign policy of the United States”, saying international students don't have a right to “become a social activist that tears up our university campuses”. Öztürk's friends told the Boston Globe, however, that she was not much of an activist and not a leader in protests last year. They said Öztürk volunteered with refugee children, participated in interfaith gatherings and studied the representation of youth in media. Her brother said she had roughly 10 months left in her doctorate degree. “Grabbing someone off the streets, stripping them of their student visa, and detaining them solely based on political viewpoint is an affront to all of our constitutional rights,” Jessie Rossman, legal director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, said in a statement. “We will not stop fighting until Ms Öztürk is free to return to her loved ones and until we know the government will not abuse immigration law to punish those who speak up for what they believe.” The Trump administration has also gone after students and academics at Columbia University, Georgetown, Cornell, Brown and other campuses. The Associated Press contributed reporting
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US President Donald Trump presented a positive front on tariff talks between Washington and India, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "very smart man". "Prime Minister Modi was here just recently. And we we've always been very good friends. India is one of the highest tariffing nations in the world. It's brutal. He (Modi) is a very smart man and a great friend of mine actually and we had very good talks. I think it's going to work out very well between India and our country very, very well," Trump said. His statement comes day after he declared a 25 per cent tariff on all imported vehicles entering the United States. The tariffs, set to take effect on April 2, will impact nearly half of all vehicles sold in the United States, including American brands assembled overseas. Among the various occasions when Trump highlighted India's high tariffs was in February when he announced reciprocal tariffs. "We will soon impose reciprocal tariffs- they charge us, we charge them. Whatever a company or a country, such as India or China, charges, we want to be fair, hence, reciprocal," he had said. PM Modi had visited Washington DC in February and held bilateral discussions with Trump. The visit came less than a month after Trump was sworn in as US President for a second term. During the visit, both India and the US resolved to deepen the bilateral trade relationship to promote growth that ensures fairness, national security and job creation. PM Modi and US President Donald Trump set a new bilateral trade target - 'Mission 500' - aiming to more than double the total two-way goods and services trade to $500 billion by 2030. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Subscribe Now! Get features like An earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday has resulted in at least 1,000 deaths and over 2,000 injuries, with the toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue. In neighboring Thailand, a high-rise under construction collapsed in Bangkok, leaving at least 6 dead. “I have requested international support for relief efforts, and have allowed some offers for support from AHA Center and India,” junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said in a video speech on state broadcaster MRTV. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck on Friday at midday, with its epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. About 11 minutes later, a strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock followed. Myanmar lies in an active earthquake zone, with most tremors occurring in sparsely populated areas. However, Friday's quake affected cities. The US Geological Survey estimates the death toll could exceed 1,000. Myanmar's military junta leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, warned of more deaths and casualties, inviting “any country” to offer help and donations, while Major General Zaw Min Tun reported that hospitals in Naypyidaw, Mandalay, and Sagaing are overwhelmed with victims. In Thailand, a 33-story building under construction collapsed near Bangkok's Chatuchak market, sending dust into the air. Onlookers fled as vehicles halted. Rescuers rushed to the wreckage, with injured people transported on gurneys. With agencies inputs
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The mystical Ark of the Covenant, believed to be lost, may have been found, according to declassified CIA documents. The intelligence agency claims the artifact may have been located by a psychic decades ago in the Middle East as part of its experimental, secret projects in the 1980s. The agency conducted experiments as part of the secret Project Sun Streak with assets using remote viewing aka extra sensory perception, to find mysterious and sacred objects. In a particular remote viewing session on December 5, 1988, remote viewer #32 ended up finding the artifact even though it wasn't the intended target. The psychic described a location in the Middle East that they claimed housed the object and said it was being "protected by entities". "The target is a container. This container has another container inside of it. The target is fashioned of wood, gold and silver and it is decorated with [a six-winged angel]," the document reads. "The target is protected by entities and can only be opened by those who are authorized to do so - this container will not/cannot be opened until the time is deemed correct. Once it is time to open the container - the mechanics of the lock system will be found to be fairly simple," it added. As per the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant, a gold-covered chest, was built by the Israelites sometime around 1445 BC, shortly after they fled Egypt with Moses placing the ten commandments inside. The Ten Commandments are a list of directives given to Moses by God, including rules such as 'thou shalt not kill' and 'honor thy mother and father.' The Ark of the Covenant has been a prominent item in popular culture as well with globetrotting adventurer/archaeologist Indian Jones attempting to uncover the artifact in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Also Read | Zuckerberg Buys Rs 3.5 Lakh T-Shirt Worn By Jesse Eisenberg Playing Him In 'The Social Network' As the news went viral, the majority of social media users poked fun at the CIA for using a psychic to discover the artifact, while some agreed with the claims. "It's been well known for decades that it's potentially been in Ethiopia since King Solomon or it's in a cave underneath Jersualem when Jeremiah hid it there," said one user while another added: "I talked to Indiana Jones about it and he said he found it. True story." A third commented: "What, surely it's not 1 April yet? Perhaps this item was wrongly included today." So>CIA took out JFK>Ark of the Covenant is real>the events of COD Black Ops were likely realWhat else do you think will get declassified next? pic.twitter.com/fHyRcT7Qa9 Notably, there is no credible scientific evidence that remote viewing exists, and it is generally regarded as pseudoscience. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Drenching rains along the Texas-Mexico border trapped hundreds of people in flooded homes and in cars stranded in high waters, scrambling rescue crews to calls for help that continued Friday even as the downpours let up. At least four people died, including some who drowned. Officials warned that the devastation from the storms — which set records in parts of Texas' low-lying Rio Grande Valley — was only starting to come into focus. In Mexico, hundreds sought temporary shelter, and videos on social media showed military personnel wading through chest-high waters. On the U.S. side, officials said at least three people were killed in Hidalgo County, where officials said more than 21 inches (53 centimeters) of rain this week soaked the city of Harlingen. The region is rich with farmland, and Texas' agriculture commissioner said the damage included significant losses to agriculture and livestock. “The bed is the only thing dry right now, because the sofas are soaked. Everything is soaked,” said Jionni Ochoa, 46, from his home in Palm Valley, near Harlingen. He and his wife were still waiting to be rescued Friday as the water inside reached their knees. He said water started coming into their house the previous night and began pouring out of the electrical sockets. They turned off the power and tried to save as much as they could. “Things I stacked up, the rain, the water made it float, and it knocked it down. So everything got messed up, everything got ruined,” Ochoa said. Hidalgo County officials said in a statement that they did not immediately have more information about the three deaths except that they involved law enforcement efforts. The Mexican state of Tamaulipas reported that an 83-year-old man drowned in Reynosa, which is across the border from McAllen, Texas. Earlier Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that the driver of a vehicle suspected of taking part in migrant smuggling tried crossing a flooded roadway in Hidalgo County and plunged into a canal. The agency said the body of one person who drowned was recovered and another was missing. It was not immediately known if those were among the deaths reported by county officials. In Alamo, a small Texas border city, crews responded to more than 100 water rescues, including people stranded in vehicles and trapped in homes, Fire Department Chief R.C. Flores said. Dozens more rescues were made in nearby Weslaco, which was inundated with about 14 inches (36 centimeters) of rain, according to Mayor Adrian Gonzalez. “It's a historic rainstorm, and it's affecting all the Valley, not just Weslaco,” Gonzalez said. Thousands of power outages were reported, and more than 20 school districts and college campuses canceled classes. Valley International Airport in Harlingen was closed Friday, and all flights were canceled. Between 7 and 12 inches of rain (20 and 31 centimeters) fell in parts of northeastern Mexico, according to Tamaulipas authorities. Luis Gerardo González de la Fuente, state coordinator of emergencies, said the most affected city was Reynosa but conditions were also dangerous in the border cities of Rio Bravo, Miguel Aleman and part of Matamoros, south of Brownsville, Texas. Some 640 military personnel were deployed in the area. Authorities said electricity was being restored as water levels dropped but did not clarify how many people were still without this service. In Texas, Emma Alaniz was resigned to not being able to leave her home in a colonia, which is an unincorporated neighborhood usually located in a rural area of a county with underdeveloped infrastructure. She described her home as being on “an island.” “For today, I won't be able to go anywhere, because I don't have a big vehicle," she said. "I have a small car, and I won't be able to take it out to the flooded street." ___ Lozano reported from Houston. Associated Press writer Alfredo Peña in Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, contributed. Valerie Gonzalez And Juan A. Lozano, The Associated Press
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During the establishment of the Alliance Museum, a rare photograph was discovered in the Alliance archives documenting the activity of the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus under the auspices of the organization Alliance Israélite Universelle.The image is now on display in the Damascus Exhibition at the Alliance Museum – a newly launched virtual museum by the Alliance Israélite Universelle aimed at preserving and making accessible the heritage of Jewish communities and the legacy of the organization. This discovery offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Jewish youth in Syria during the first half of the 20th century. It serves as living evidence of the educational and cultural work carried out by the organization.In the photograph found in the Alliance archives in Paris during the development of the Alliance Museum, a group of young people is seen dressed in scout uniforms, holding flags bearing the name Éclaireurs à l'AIU Damas – the Alliance Scouts of Damascus. AdvertisementAt the center of the image stand a man and a woman, presumably counselors or educational staff members, leading the local scout group. The flags and uniforms indicate an organized structure that was part of the Jewish educational framework active in the city.syria synagogue 224.88 (credit: Courtesy)Hani Mamram, the museum's curator and deputy director of Alliance Israélite Universelle, commented on the discovery: "This photograph is much more than a historical image – it is a bridge to the past of a vibrant community that once lived and thrived in Damascus. Today, we bring its story to the forefront." The Damascus Exhibition, dedicated to preserving the heritage of the community, presents rare findings, testimonies, and photographs that shed light on the lives of Jews in Damascus.Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. The image is now on display in the Damascus Exhibition at the Alliance Museum – a newly launched virtual museum by the Alliance Israélite Universelle aimed at preserving and making accessible the heritage of Jewish communities and the legacy of the organization. This discovery offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Jewish youth in Syria during the first half of the 20th century. It serves as living evidence of the educational and cultural work carried out by the organization.In the photograph found in the Alliance archives in Paris during the development of the Alliance Museum, a group of young people is seen dressed in scout uniforms, holding flags bearing the name Éclaireurs à l'AIU Damas – the Alliance Scouts of Damascus. AdvertisementAt the center of the image stand a man and a woman, presumably counselors or educational staff members, leading the local scout group. The flags and uniforms indicate an organized structure that was part of the Jewish educational framework active in the city.syria synagogue 224.88 (credit: Courtesy)Hani Mamram, the museum's curator and deputy director of Alliance Israélite Universelle, commented on the discovery: "This photograph is much more than a historical image – it is a bridge to the past of a vibrant community that once lived and thrived in Damascus. Today, we bring its story to the forefront." The Damascus Exhibition, dedicated to preserving the heritage of the community, presents rare findings, testimonies, and photographs that shed light on the lives of Jews in Damascus.Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. This discovery offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Jewish youth in Syria during the first half of the 20th century. It serves as living evidence of the educational and cultural work carried out by the organization.In the photograph found in the Alliance archives in Paris during the development of the Alliance Museum, a group of young people is seen dressed in scout uniforms, holding flags bearing the name Éclaireurs à l'AIU Damas – the Alliance Scouts of Damascus. AdvertisementAt the center of the image stand a man and a woman, presumably counselors or educational staff members, leading the local scout group. The flags and uniforms indicate an organized structure that was part of the Jewish educational framework active in the city.syria synagogue 224.88 (credit: Courtesy)Hani Mamram, the museum's curator and deputy director of Alliance Israélite Universelle, commented on the discovery: "This photograph is much more than a historical image – it is a bridge to the past of a vibrant community that once lived and thrived in Damascus. Today, we bring its story to the forefront." The Damascus Exhibition, dedicated to preserving the heritage of the community, presents rare findings, testimonies, and photographs that shed light on the lives of Jews in Damascus.Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. In the photograph found in the Alliance archives in Paris during the development of the Alliance Museum, a group of young people is seen dressed in scout uniforms, holding flags bearing the name Éclaireurs à l'AIU Damas – the Alliance Scouts of Damascus. AdvertisementAt the center of the image stand a man and a woman, presumably counselors or educational staff members, leading the local scout group. The flags and uniforms indicate an organized structure that was part of the Jewish educational framework active in the city.syria synagogue 224.88 (credit: Courtesy)Hani Mamram, the museum's curator and deputy director of Alliance Israélite Universelle, commented on the discovery: "This photograph is much more than a historical image – it is a bridge to the past of a vibrant community that once lived and thrived in Damascus. Today, we bring its story to the forefront." The Damascus Exhibition, dedicated to preserving the heritage of the community, presents rare findings, testimonies, and photographs that shed light on the lives of Jews in Damascus.Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. At the center of the image stand a man and a woman, presumably counselors or educational staff members, leading the local scout group. The flags and uniforms indicate an organized structure that was part of the Jewish educational framework active in the city.syria synagogue 224.88 (credit: Courtesy)Hani Mamram, the museum's curator and deputy director of Alliance Israélite Universelle, commented on the discovery: "This photograph is much more than a historical image – it is a bridge to the past of a vibrant community that once lived and thrived in Damascus. Today, we bring its story to the forefront." The Damascus Exhibition, dedicated to preserving the heritage of the community, presents rare findings, testimonies, and photographs that shed light on the lives of Jews in Damascus.Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. Hani Mamram, the museum's curator and deputy director of Alliance Israélite Universelle, commented on the discovery: "This photograph is much more than a historical image – it is a bridge to the past of a vibrant community that once lived and thrived in Damascus. Today, we bring its story to the forefront." The Damascus Exhibition, dedicated to preserving the heritage of the community, presents rare findings, testimonies, and photographs that shed light on the lives of Jews in Damascus.Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. The Damascus Exhibition, dedicated to preserving the heritage of the community, presents rare findings, testimonies, and photographs that shed light on the lives of Jews in Damascus.Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. Maram said that as part of the museum's establishment, they are working "to make information about Damascus Jewry and the activity of the Jewish scouts there accessible to the public and to integrate additional testimonies from private and public archives that will help complete the full story of this unique community." Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter "The discovered photograph is not just a memory of the past, but a message to the present and future – highlighting the importance of education, culture, and the preservation of community heritage.", he concluded. AdvertisementJewish scouts in DamascusThe Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. The Alliance Israélite Universelle was one of the most influential bodies in promoting education and modernization among Jews of the Middle East and North Africa.Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. Established in France in 1860, the organization founded numerous schools across the Jewish world, including in Syria, educating over a million students in Hebrew, French, mathematics, and other subjects designed to help them integrate into modern society.This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. This photo sheds light on an important yet little-known chapter in the history of Syrian Jewry – the youth life and the development of Jewish-Zionist identity within the Alliance communities in Syria. While the Jewish Scout Movement operated in several Jewish centers around the world, evidence of its presence in Damascus is extremely rare. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. This photograph provides testimony that the Jewish community of Damascus, while preserving its rich traditions, sought to provide its younger generation with educational and value-based tools aligned with the spirit of the time.The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. The Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus was established in the 1930s by Dr. Pinto David, chairman of the community council, and Mr. Albert Silver (Zilberstein), head of the Alliance school in Damascus.The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. The initiative emerged from a need to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity of the community's youth, preserve their cultural heritage, and offer an educational and ethical framework for Jewish teens.In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. In addition to its educational, cultural, and social activities, the movement played a vital role in protecting the Jewish community and the Jewish quarter in the city, especially during times of tension and antisemitic threats.Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. Thus, the Jewish Scout Movement in Damascus served not only to reinforce Jewish identity but also as a practical tool for ensuring the community's safety and preparing its youth for the challenges they faced both within Syria and in anticipation of immigration to the Land of Israel.This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy. This discovery joins a growing collection of historical testimonies showcased in the Alliance Israélite Universelle Museum, which focuses on the history of Jewish communities around the world and the organization's educational and cultural legacy.
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Ghibli frenzy has taken social media by storm. Users are creating pictures with the likeness of the famous Studio Ghibli, in which the characters in the visuals look like they have stepped out of a fantasy world. MyGov, Government of India, on Instagram joined this new wave of internet creativity with 15 interesting pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Main character? No. He's the whole storyline. Swipe through New India in Studio Ghibli strokes,” reads the caption posted along with the visuals. A total of 15 visuals were created using ChatGPT's native image generator. The visuals capture the prime minister in various settings, from holding the Indian flag to meeting American President Donald Trump to giving a speech to bowing before the Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya. One of the visuals also captures his recent visit to Anant Ambani's Vantara, where the PM was seen petting lion cubs. While visiting the animal rescue, conservation and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar, he also interacted with other animals like orangutans, elephants, and one-horned rhinos. Another visual takes viewers back to when the PM introduced a 'new family member', Deepjyoti. He shared a video from his residence in Delhi's 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, which showed him sitting with the calf at his residence. The clip also captured the PM playing with the calf and petting it. A post shared by MyGov, Government of India (@mygovindia) While some were ecstatic to see the visuals, others expressed unhappiness. A few simply chose to react with emoticons in the comments section. A day earlier, the White House joined the Ghibli trend with a meme of a drug dealer who was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after illegally entering the country. The picture showed a moment when she was nabbed outside her workplace - where she allegedly worked as a cook - and started weeping. The woman was earlier convicted of peddling fentanyl.
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Follow: A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the heart of war-ravaged Myanmar of Friday, killing scores of people and prompting the country's military junta to make a rare plea for international assistance. The earthquake cut through a vast and varied corner of Southeast Asia, sending terrifying tremors through rural villages caught in the middle of Myanmar's civil war all the way to the glitzy high-rises of the traffic-filled Thai capital Bangkok. Shaking was even felt across the border in China's southwestern remote and mountainous Yunnan province. At least 144 people have been killed and more than 730 injured, the head of Myanmar's military government said late Friday evening. Deaths have also been reported in Thailand. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates the final toll could surpass 10,000 people, according to their early modeling, and that “high casualties and extensive damage” was likely. Having largely shut the country off from the world during its four years of civil war, Min Aung Hlaing – the leader of Myanmar's military government – declared a state of emergency and issued an “open invitation to any organizations and nations willing to come and help the people in need within our country,” adding the toll was likely to rise. With electricity and internet down in parts of Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing's unexpected call for help is a measure of the devastation the quake has wrought in the country his junta has helped turn into a pariah state. Rescue efforts are likely to vary hugely between the two countries. Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest nations, has a long and troubled track record of struggling to respond to major natural disasters, often rebuffing international aid offers and publicly downplaying damage. In contrast, neighboring Thailand is far more prosperous and a major tourist destination, with well-resourced and experienced rescue teams. The quake was felt hundreds of miles from the epicenter near the city of Mandalay in northern Myanmar. Erik Honan, a US citizen visiting a friend in the eastern Thai city of Pattaya, said when he saw items begin to slide on a coffee table early Friday, he “knew immediately what it was.” “Mother Nature was having its way – like swatting a fly,” Honan told CNN. Video posted online showed panicked residents across Myanmar and Thailand running from swaying residential towers as dust fills the air, and traffic comes to a sudden stop on busy city streets. Rescue efforts in Bangkok are focusing on the site of a high-rise tower that was under construction and collapsed during the quake. Thai authorities fear more than 100 people, mostly construction workers, are thought to be trapped under the building, which was being built by a Chinese state owned company and is now a mess of twisted steel and shattered concrete. Sunan Kenkiat, 31, was working on the fire sprinkler system at the building before it collapsed on Friday. “It was shaking and I felt dizzy,” Kenkiat told CNN of the moment the high-rise building began to rock. “After that, debris like cement pieces started falling down, and the shaking got stronger, so I shouted for everyone to run.” He then heard three “booms,” and his eyes filled with white dust — and he knew he the building was about to give way. He managed to escape, dazed and covered in dust, but many of his colleagues remain trapped. As of 10 p.m. (11 a.m. ET) on Friday, at least 10 people had died in the Thai capital due to the quake, according to Deputy Bangkok Governor Tavida Kamolvej. The Thai capital is not a city used to earthquakes and in recent decades condominiums have sprung up across its congested streets. City authorities advised residents of two buildings in the city to evacuate after they sustained damage in the quake. One building was in the Chatuchak district, while the other was in Phra Khanong. Both will be inspected for damage, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said. The administration added that it had received nearly 1,000 reports of “structural concerns” across the city following the quake and a team of engineers will assess cases based on severity, with three high-risk cases identified so far. The structural assessments will ramp up on Saturday morning. In addition, five public parks and six temporary shelters have been opened for residents to seek refuge, with police and city officials being deployed to maintain safety, the administration said. Myanmar is already reeling from four years of civil war sparked by a bloody and economically destructive military coup, which has seen junta forces battle rebel groups across the country. The coup and ensuing conflict has battered its health infrastructure, leaving it ill-equipped to deal with major natural disasters. Swathes of the country lie outside the control of the junta and are a run by a patchwork of ethnic rebels and militias, making compiling reliable information extremely difficult. “Almost 80% of the country is outside of the control (of the military), and then they are controlled by different ethnic armed groups,” a country director for an international NGO operating there told CNN. “They're controlled by the PDF (People's Defense Force) under the NUG (National Unity Government), so you can't have a full picture of what is going on.” Reports on the damage are still emerging and it could be weeks before the full extent of the devastation is known, but it's likely to be “severe,” according to the International Rescue Committee's Myanmar director. The limited amount of available information is partly due to communication lines being down and transport being disrupted, Mohamed Riyas said in a statement. The rescue chief added that the “damage to infrastructure and homes, loss of life, and injuries sustained by communities affected should not be underestimated.” Amnesty International has urged the ruling junta to allow aid groups to enter freely, saying the quake “could not come at a worse time” for the war-ravaged country. Related live-story Magnitude-7.7 earthquake hits Myanmar, with tremors felt across neighboring Thailand Tom Andrew, the United Nations special rapporteur for Myanmar, said the quake would pile “a disaster on top of a disaster.” With more than 20 million people already in need of humanitarian aid and some 3.5 million internally displaced, “I shudder to think what will be happening in the next few days as rescue operations kick in,” Andrews told CNN. A resident of Mandalay told CNN they weren't sure they would survive the quake. “The quake was very powerful, we could not run out of the building immediately,” said Tun Kyaw, 26, asking to use a pseudonym. “It was like the whole building was going to collapse. I was not sure I would get out alive.” The quake hit around 12:50 p.m. local time close to Mandalay, the former royal capital that is home to about 1.5 million people and boasts a host of historic temple complexes and palaces. Several aftershocks have since struck nearby, including one of 6.4-magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey. The epicenter was recorded in Myanmar's central Sagaing region, which has been ravaged by the civil war, with the junta, pro-military militia and rebel groups battling for control and all running checkpoints, making travel by road or river extremely difficult. Sagaing is largely rural with dwellings mostly built with wood and thatch. Communications in the area are typically patchy due to intermittent fighting between the junta and rebel groups. In the town of Taungoo, 70 miles south of the capital Naypyidaw, three people were killed after a mosque partially collapsed, Reuters reported. One resident in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial hub and around 380 miles away from the epicenter, told CNN: “We felt the quake for about one minute and then we ran out of the building.” “We saw other people running out of the buildings too. It was very sudden and very strong.” Another resident said phone networks in the city home to around 8 million people were briefly down following the quake, but were now working again. A Yangon resident named Wang, who was on the 20th floor of a building when the quake hit, said “people next to me were all scared to death.” “The quake felt so strong, and lasted really long,” said Wang, who did not want to give her first name. Video obtained by CNN from Myanmar appeared to show a road bridge spanning the Irrawaddy River, which runs through Mandalay, collapsing into the river in a cloud of dust and water. This story has been updated with developments. CNN's Lex Harvey, Todd Symons, Edward Szekeres, Hassan Tayir, Manveena Suri, Chris Lau, Rob Picheta, Lauren Kent, Billy Stockwell and Lauren Said-Moorhouse contributed reporting. © 2025 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.
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Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday appointed Osama al-Rifai, a moderate Muslim cleric known for having opposed now ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad, as the country's grand mufti. "Today, this position is held by one of the finest scholars" in Syria, Sharaa said in a statement. Rifai, a Damascene born in 1944, publicly expressed opposition to Assad after anti-government protests broke out in 2011. He was beaten after giving a Friday sermon that year when government forces stormed his mosque, beating and arresting people, and he left the country not long after the incident. Rifai served as head of an Islamic council set up in Istanbul in 2014 for Syrians opposed to Assad, returning to Damascus to a warm public welcome after Sharaa's Islamist-led rebels ousted the longtime ruler in December. In 2021, Assad had issued a decree eliminating the post of grand mufti and expanding the powers of a government ministry overseeing religious affairs. That decree effectively forced Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun, whom Assad had appointed in 2004, into retirement. This week, unofficial reports said the former grand mufti, known for his support of Assad, was arrested at the airport as he sought to leave the country. Authorities have not made a public announcement on the matter, but family members on social media have confirmed that Hassoun was detained. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Subscribe Now! Get features like Columbia University's interim president Katrina Armstrong stepped down from her position and the co-chair of the board of trustees, Claire Shipman, was named acting president instead, effective immediately, according to a statement from the university on Friday. Katrina Armstrong will return to her role leading the university's Irving Medical Center, the statement said. "Dr Armstrong accepted the role of interim president at a time of great uncertainty for the University and worked tirelessly to promote the interests of our community," said the chair of the board of trustees, David J Greenwald. "Katrina has always given her heart and soul to Columbia. We appreciate her service and look forward to her continued contributions to the University," he added. This decision comes just weeks after US President Donald Trump's administration cut around $400 million worth of federal grants and aid to the university, accusing it of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment during protests over Israel's war against Gaza. The university, which witnessed anti-war protests in April last year, witnessed dozens of arrests as well. Protesters said that criticising Israel over its actions in Gaza or expressing solidarity with Palestinians cannot be termed as being antisemitic. Amid this clash with the Trump administration over antisemitism, the Columbia University last week agreed to implement a mask ban and expand campus police powers in a bid to meet the US president's demands after the fund freeze. "Freedom of expression is what enables the rigorous debate and free inquiry on which our academic depends," the university said, adding that demonstrations and protests inside the campus buildings "present a direct impediment to maintain our core academic mission". The university further said that it will revamp its long-standing disciplinary process and bar protests from taking place inside academic buildings. "Students will not be permitted to wear face masks on campus for the purposes of concealing one's identity. An exception would be made for people wearing them for health reasons," it had said. The change in leadership of the university also comes in the backdrop of repeated detentions and deportations of some students of the university for having supported and protested over pro-Palestine students. From Mahmoud Khalil to Yunseo Chung, several students of the university are facing the wrath of the federal immigration department. Armstrong will now return to the role of Chief Executive Officer of Columbia University's Irving Medical Centre, Executive vice president for health and biomedical sciences, and dean of the faculties of health sciences and medicine and the vagelos college of physicians and surgeons. In her statement, Armstrong expressed gratitude for having served as the university's interim president and called it as a "special place". She mentioned how she had the chance to play a small part in "navigating this vast enterprise through some of the most difficult moments in history" over the last few months. "The world needs Columbia University, and you can be assured that I will do everything I can to tell that story. Standing together for Columbia," Armstrong added. Meanwhile, Shipman, in her statement, asserted commitment to the role that she is taking up and said that she act with urgency, integrity and work with the university's faculty to advance its mission, by implementing the required reforms, protecting the students and upholding academic freedom and open inquiry. "Columbia's new permanent president, when that individual is selected, will conduct an appropriate review of the University's leadership team and structure to ensure we are best positioned for the future," Shipman added. Notably, Shipman has been serving as the co-chair of the board of trustees since 2023 and has been on the board since 2013. She is a journalist and an author, a graduate in international affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies from Columbia College.
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Interim president Katrina Armstrong to transfer to medical center with appointment of board of trustees co-chair Claire Shipman Columbia University's interim president has stepped down, the latest leadership shakeup at the Ivy League school, which has been aggressively targeted by the Trump administration over pro-Palestinian protests on campus. Katrina Armstrong is being replaced by Claire Shipman, co-chair of its board of trustees, who is stepping up as acting president effective immediately, the university said on Friday evening. Shipman is the university's third president since August, when Minouche Shafik resigned amid intense scrutiny of her handling of demonstrations. Armstrong's abrupt departure comes just one week after the university gave in to pressure from the Trump administration after it pulled $400m in federal funding. The president and other critics have accused Columbia of failing to prevent antisemitism on campus, saying the institution did not do enough to clamp down on protests, even though the university last year facilitated arrests of demonstrators and suspended pro-Palestinian student groups. The university released a memo outlining its agreement with the Trump administration hours before an extended deadline set by the government was to expire. The memo laid out measures including banning facemasks on campus, empowering security officers to remove or arrest individuals, and taking control of the department that offers courses on the Middle East from its faculty. Among the most contentious of the nine demands, Columbia agreed to place its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies department under a new official, the memo said. The new senior vice-provost will review the school's programs to ensure the “offerings are comprehensive and balanced”. The demand raised alarm among professors at Columbia and elsewhere, who worried that permitting the federal government to dictate how a department is run would set a dangerous precedent. Rights advocates called it an assault on free speech. Armstrong will remain at Columbia, returning to lead the university's Irving Medical Center. Shipman will serve as acting president while the board completes its search for a permanent replacement, the university said. Shipman has served as co-chair of the board of trustees since 2023 and has been a board member since 2013. A journalist and author, she holds two degrees from Columbia. “I assume this role with a clear understanding of the serious challenges before us and a steadfast commitment to act with urgency, integrity, and work with our faculty to advance our mission, implement needed reforms, protect our students, and uphold academic freedom and open inquiry,” Shipman said in a statement. News of Armstrong stepping down came amid reports in the Harvard Crimson student newspaper and the New York Times that two leaders of Harvard's Center for Middle Eastern Studies would be stepping down. The papers cited faculty with knowledge of the matter, and the university has not commented on the reports. Like Columbia, Harvard has been facing pressure from the Trump administration and others amid claims it has failed to address antisemitism. The Trump administration this week has also been escalating efforts to deport students from campuses across the country who are on visas or are green-card holders and were connected to pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Reuters contributed to this report
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Subscribe Now! Get features like India's negotiators have indicated New Delhi is willing to further reduce tariffs on a host of American imports provided its action is reciprocated by Washington with preferential treatment such as exemption from the planned April 2 retaliatory tariff action, people aware of conversations between the teams of the two countries said. India now expects some reassurances after having amply demonstrated that it treats America as a valued partner by reducing tariffs on products such as bourbon, motorcycles, ICT products and metals, they added, asking not to be named. “India is willing to commit more. It can further reduce tariffs on host of American items while safeguarding its subsistence farmers and small industries. It is willing to address American concern of trade deficit with India through import diversion (for example sourcing more energy from the US instead of the Gulf region). But reciprocity is the key for ‘mutually beneficial' trade relationship. We expect that Washington would not club India with those with whom the US has serious issues such as illegal immigration and currency manipulation,” one of the officials said. Recently, India announced removal of the 6% Google tax (an equalisation levy on online advertisements). It is now awaiting American response, the people said . Officials from both sides have been engaged in the “India-US Fast Track Mechanism” talks since Wednesday, discussing terms of reference (ToRs) and a roadmap for fast-tracking negotiations so that an Indo-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) is signed by September 2025. “When both parties are eager and engaged, imposition of retaliatory tariff is unwarranted,” a second person said. A US team led by assistant trade representative Brendan Lynch is in New Delhi to negotiate the BTA with the team of Indian officials led by additional secretary Rajesh Agrawal. Although the three-day talks were supposed to conclude by Friday, they could continue until Saturday, hours before the departure of the US negotiating team, the people mentioned above said. “Talks are on. So far, there is no clarity whether the Trump administration would also include India in the list of countries to face retaliatory tariffs, and if yes, to what extent. India would like the partner to give some definite commitment before it undertakes any major step such as further reducing import duties, etc. A good thing is that talks are on and all channels of dialogue are open,” the second person said, referring to US and Indian industry representatives meeting the Union finance minister on Thursday. There are significant tariff disparities between the two countries. According to estimates by a Johns Hopkins university economics expert, India ranks eighth among countries with which the US has a trade deficit. An analysis of 2021-2023 data showed that in agriculture, India's average tariff on US imports is 41.8% compared to the US tariff of 3.8% on Indian imports. Senior executives of the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-India Business Council met Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday and expressed their constructive support in strengthening Indo-US economic relationship. Sitharaman met Suzanne Clark, president and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, along with Atul Keshap, president of USIBC. Clark appreciated India's continued reforms, including in FDI, leading to growing interest of US businesses in India, and underlined the increased cross-border investment, innovation, growing entrepreneurship and trade that strengthen the US-India partnership. Sitharaman is expected to embark on a week-long USA visit next month. Trade talks are successful if both sides are willing and considerate, a third person said. “Leaders [President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi] on February 13 agreed to conclude a mutually beneficial, multi-sector BTA by September this year. The progress is fast and in a positive direction. Let's wait for April 2,” he added. The April 2 deadline has already impacted global markets, with stock indices across the world remaining jittery as investors await clarity on US tariff plans.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was open to carving out deals with countries seeking to avoid U.S. tariffs but those agreements would have to be negotiated after his administration announces reciprocal tariffs on April 2. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump also said that he would soon be announcing tariffs targeting the pharmaceutical industry, but declined to give any details on when or at what tariff rate. Trump told reporters countries including Britain had approached the United States to try to cut deals and avert the reciprocal tariffs. "They want to make deals. It's possible if we can get something for the deal," he said. "But yeah, I'm certainly open to that. If we can do something where we get something for it." Asked if such deals could happen before April 2, Trump said, "No, probably later. It's a process." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
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Understanding Islamic ideology is essential to addressing the global processes reshaping our region and unsettling the entire world. Analyzing the implications of these developments allows Western nations to take meaningful steps against what many see as a creeping attempt at Islamic dominance across various countries.Islamic jihad is a core concept in Islam, referring to the struggle for the faith. While the term includes spiritual and cultural dimensions, in historical and political contexts, it has often been interpreted as a military struggle aimed at expanding Islamic control. The Western world has failed to fully grasp the depth and scope of this ideology. Islam defines two primary global divisions: Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb.Dar al-Islam refers to regions governed by Islamic rule, where Sharia is enforced. In these territories, Muslims live under Islamic governance, and religious law shapes all aspects of life. AdvertisementA devout Muslim is obligated to expand the domain of Dar al-Islam, aspiring to bring the entire world under Islamic control.Men carry weapons as they protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Sanaa, Yemen October 18, 2023. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)Conversely, Dar al-Harb, or the “House of War,” refers to territories not yet under Islamic rule. Traditional Islamic thought divides the world into these two realms, asserting that regions outside Islamic control must ultimately be absorbed into Dar al-Islam through jihad – a continuous effort to subdue non-believers and establish Islamic governance. According to classical Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is not merely a personal duty but a collective obligation (fard kifayah) of the Muslim community, or Ummah. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Islamic jihad is a core concept in Islam, referring to the struggle for the faith. While the term includes spiritual and cultural dimensions, in historical and political contexts, it has often been interpreted as a military struggle aimed at expanding Islamic control. The Western world has failed to fully grasp the depth and scope of this ideology. Islam defines two primary global divisions: Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb.Dar al-Islam refers to regions governed by Islamic rule, where Sharia is enforced. In these territories, Muslims live under Islamic governance, and religious law shapes all aspects of life. AdvertisementA devout Muslim is obligated to expand the domain of Dar al-Islam, aspiring to bring the entire world under Islamic control.Men carry weapons as they protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Sanaa, Yemen October 18, 2023. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)Conversely, Dar al-Harb, or the “House of War,” refers to territories not yet under Islamic rule. Traditional Islamic thought divides the world into these two realms, asserting that regions outside Islamic control must ultimately be absorbed into Dar al-Islam through jihad – a continuous effort to subdue non-believers and establish Islamic governance. According to classical Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is not merely a personal duty but a collective obligation (fard kifayah) of the Muslim community, or Ummah. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Islam defines two primary global divisions: Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb.Dar al-Islam refers to regions governed by Islamic rule, where Sharia is enforced. In these territories, Muslims live under Islamic governance, and religious law shapes all aspects of life. AdvertisementA devout Muslim is obligated to expand the domain of Dar al-Islam, aspiring to bring the entire world under Islamic control.Men carry weapons as they protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Sanaa, Yemen October 18, 2023. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)Conversely, Dar al-Harb, or the “House of War,” refers to territories not yet under Islamic rule. Traditional Islamic thought divides the world into these two realms, asserting that regions outside Islamic control must ultimately be absorbed into Dar al-Islam through jihad – a continuous effort to subdue non-believers and establish Islamic governance. According to classical Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is not merely a personal duty but a collective obligation (fard kifayah) of the Muslim community, or Ummah. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Dar al-Islam refers to regions governed by Islamic rule, where Sharia is enforced. In these territories, Muslims live under Islamic governance, and religious law shapes all aspects of life. AdvertisementA devout Muslim is obligated to expand the domain of Dar al-Islam, aspiring to bring the entire world under Islamic control.Men carry weapons as they protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Sanaa, Yemen October 18, 2023. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)Conversely, Dar al-Harb, or the “House of War,” refers to territories not yet under Islamic rule. Traditional Islamic thought divides the world into these two realms, asserting that regions outside Islamic control must ultimately be absorbed into Dar al-Islam through jihad – a continuous effort to subdue non-believers and establish Islamic governance. According to classical Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is not merely a personal duty but a collective obligation (fard kifayah) of the Muslim community, or Ummah. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. A devout Muslim is obligated to expand the domain of Dar al-Islam, aspiring to bring the entire world under Islamic control.Men carry weapons as they protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Sanaa, Yemen October 18, 2023. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)Conversely, Dar al-Harb, or the “House of War,” refers to territories not yet under Islamic rule. Traditional Islamic thought divides the world into these two realms, asserting that regions outside Islamic control must ultimately be absorbed into Dar al-Islam through jihad – a continuous effort to subdue non-believers and establish Islamic governance. According to classical Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is not merely a personal duty but a collective obligation (fard kifayah) of the Muslim community, or Ummah. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Conversely, Dar al-Harb, or the “House of War,” refers to territories not yet under Islamic rule. Traditional Islamic thought divides the world into these two realms, asserting that regions outside Islamic control must ultimately be absorbed into Dar al-Islam through jihad – a continuous effort to subdue non-believers and establish Islamic governance. According to classical Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is not merely a personal duty but a collective obligation (fard kifayah) of the Muslim community, or Ummah. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. According to classical Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is not merely a personal duty but a collective obligation (fard kifayah) of the Muslim community, or Ummah. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. This is due in part to Islam's unique nature – not just as a private faith but as a comprehensive political, legal, and social framework that aims to create a global order. In this context, the pursuit of Islamic supremacy is an ongoing religious-political mission without a fixed endpoint. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe Now Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Sharia mandates that Muslims spread their faith and ensure all of humanity accepts Islamic teachings. Often, the objective of Islamic rule is not individual conversion but the imposition of Sharia as the dominant legal and societal system. AdvertisementThere is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. There is no expiration date for jihad. Even if conquests span centuries, the objective remains valid under Islamic doctrine. This long-term vision contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, which tend to see wars as finite, time-bound events.History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. History reflects this. Islamic military campaigns extended from the 7th century well into the 17th century, reaching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Conquest was viewed not as exceptional but as a standard component of Islamic life and expansion.THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. THE WEST frequently treats jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS as fringe elements that do not represent mainstream Islam. However, many of these groups' ideologies are deeply rooted in traditional Islamic teachings and historical precedent. Assuming that Islam operates like other religions is a grave misjudgment. Incorrect parallels It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. It is a mistake to draw parallels between Islam and religions such as Christianity or Judaism. Islam fuses religious belief with political and legal authority. Religious leaders wield judicial influence, legitimizing actions that, to Western observers, seem unacceptable or even unlawful.While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. While the West seeks immediate solutions and quick resolutions, Islamic ideology is patient. It is willing to pursue its goals over centuries, unlike the West, which often views war as episodic and conclusive.Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Western responses focus primarily on military threats posed by terror organizations, often neglecting the broader ideological front. As Western nations search for tactical security solutions, Islamic ideology spreads through education, demographics, and cultural influence.To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. To effectively counter jihad, the West must recognize it as an ideological and cultural challenge, not merely a military one. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Without such awareness and resistance, jihadist ideology will persist and grow.Instead of fearing accusations of racism or Islamophobia, Western societies must defend their foundational values: democracy, freedom, and human rights.There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. There is a pressing need for qualified scholars in Islamic theology and law, including its more radical streams. Policymakers must consult serious experts and examine Islamic scriptures directly rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. If the West intends to preserve itself, it must enforce stricter immigration policies and ensure that newcomers adopt the national ethos. Citizenship should be conditional, granted only after thorough cultural and ideological integration.Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Islamic jihad is more than a security threat; it is a comprehensive worldview that has mobilized millions throughout history. The divide between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb compels many Muslims to pursue a perpetual struggle against non-believers. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. The West has failed to acknowledge this, and its responses have often been inadequate. Preserving Western identity requires confronting this ideological threat head-on, reinforcing cultural confidence, and taking decisive action against forces that seek to destabilize it.ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. ISRAEL, FOR its part, has spent decades wavering between political aspirations and harsh security realities. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. One of its most significant strategic missteps was the belief that territorial concessions would lead to peace and that the Palestinian issue could be resolved through compromise.This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. This idea, largely promoted by the Israeli Left, overlooked the deeply ingrained ideology of groups such as Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which view all of Israel as “occupied Palestine” and reject any permanent settlement.When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. When former prime minister Ariel Sharon initiated the 2005 Gaza disengagement, he believed that withdrawing would bring calm, reduce violence, and shift responsibility to the Palestinians. Despite his experience as a soldier and statesman, Sharon misread Hamas's true intentions.Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Hamas never saw Gaza as the final objective. The withdrawal was merely the first step in its strategic plan. Immediately after Israel's departure, the terror group consolidated power and transformed Gaza into a fortified terror enclave. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. The expansion of tunnels, rocket arsenals, and military infrastructure reflected Hamas's belief that the disengagement was not a peace offering but a victory.The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. The long-held assumption that the Palestinian conflict is rooted solely in territorial grievances – particularly those tied to lands captured in 1967 – was irreparably shattered on October 7, 2023.A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. A growing number of peace-seeking Israelis now recognize that many Palestinians are not simply advocating for a return to the 1967 borders. They demand the return to pre-1948 cities such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle, and Lod.This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. This desire is not confined to Hamas. It is echoed by the broader Palestinian public, including factions like Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, both of which continue to promote the so-called “right of return,” a policy that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel's existence as a Jewish state.The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. The chant “From the river to the sea” is not merely symbolic. It represents the foundational belief among many Palestinians that all of Israel is occupied territory destined for “liberation.” In this worldview, Israeli concessions are interpreted as weakness, encouraging further demands and escalating violence.Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Hamas's rise after Israel's exit from Gaza, followed by its purge of Fatah operatives, demonstrated that even Fatah's violent tactics were deemed insufficiently radical by Hamas's standards.Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Israel finds itself descending a slope of false hope, where peace gestures are perceived by adversaries as surrender. As such, any peace strategy based exclusively on land-for-peace formulas is doomed to fail.The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. The current geopolitical reality calls for a new strategic framework. Israel must rebuild credible deterrence, expand its presence across the land, and respond with strength to any threats to its sovereignty.How can true peace be achieved? True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. True peace will only be achievable when the other side recognizes that Israel cannot be eliminated – militarily or diplomatically. Only when this realization takes root will genuine dialogue become possible. Sadly, that day is not yet in sight.Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. Israel will continue to extend its hand in peace. But as long as Palestinian children are taught to hate, are raised on martyrdom instead of science, and are trained to carry weapons instead of books, the sword will remain necessary.The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent. The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general, deputy dean of the Consular Corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former NBC television correspondent.
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump walks after a news conference at Trump National Golf Club, Aug. 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File) Former state senator Ed Durr speaks following the first Republican debate, Feb. 4, 2025, at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J. (AP Photo/Mike Catalini, File) TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The most important Republican in New Jersey's race for governor this year might well be a part-time resident of Bedminster who burnished his reputation and his brand near the Atlantic City Boardwalk. “Donald Trump is the X factor in this GOP primary,” said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. “His endorsement right now could make or break, depending on to whom he gives it.” But in a state that has long leaned Democratic, the president's endorsement in the June 10 primary could complicate things in a general election, where the winner of a six-person Democratic field awaits. That may explain why one Republican candidate, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, has criticized Trump over his pardons for those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, and why two other leading contenders have sought the president's support without much fanfare. Still, in one of only two states with a race for governor this year — Virginia is the other — the general election will be closely watched for clues about whether blue state voters have been won over or repelled by Trump's leadership. Trump, who built his brand as an Atlantic City casino owner and still owns property in New Jersey, including the Bedminster golf club, narrowed the margin between 2020 and 2024 but still lost the state, and Democrats maintain firm control. Some Republicans think that's changing. The GOP field dwindled from five candidates to four this past week when Ed Durr, a former state senator and vocal Trump supporter, dropped out. Durr made national news in 2021 when he shocked state Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, by winning in their southern New Jersey district. A furniture truck driver new to elected office, Durr said in a statement he was ending his campaign so radio host and fellow Trump supporter Bill Spadea could defeat “never Trumpers” in the race. Both Spadea and Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 GOP nominee for governor who lost by roughly three percentage points to term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, have said critical things of Trump in the past, but both have embraced him lately. Ciattarelli met with the president last week. Chris Russell, his campaign strategist, declined to discuss details of the meeting, but said Ciattarelli welcomes the president's support if he should give it. A message seeking comment was left with Spadea's campaign. Mario Kranjac, the former two-term mayor of the suburban New York City town of Englewood Cliffs and a recent entrant into the race, said he thinks he is the most Trump-aligned candidate because he never wavered in his support for Trump during the president's first term. “The residents and citizens and taxpayers of New Jersey need a governor with fixed values and beliefs, and that's me -- in terms of everything that I stand for and that President Trump stands for,” he said in a phone interview. “They shouldn't have to worry that when something happens, their candidate is going to abandon President Trump, which I would never do.” Part of the challenge for Republicans is that the value of Trump's support is a moving target. The first two months of his second term as president may have alienated some voters but won others over. Anticipating how much value Trump could add to the campaign when voters cast their primary ballots is guesswork, with circumstances changing by the day. In the pre-Trump era, some Republicans successfully navigated the shoals between the primary and the general elections. While Republicans have not won a U.S. Senate seat in New Jersey in more than five decades, they have enjoyed more success in governor's races. The last three Republicans elected governor — Thomas Kean Sr., Christine Todd Whitman and Chris Christie — all won two consecutive terms. But their brand of politics included business-friendly conservatism, hardly the same as Trump's aggressive populism. Democrats remain the dominant party in the state, but some Republicans say that hold is slipping. Russell, Ciattarelli's strategist, points to the registration gains the GOP has made, shaving the Democrats' advantage from 1 million more voters to 834,000 more. He said Democrats should not be overconfident in their traditional advantages. “I think they're missing the lesson of the 2024 election in New Jersey, which is Donald Trump did exceedingly well in New Jersey,” he said. The weight of Trump's influence lingers as one of the lessons the GOP took from 2024. That much seemed evident in Durr's withdrawal from the race. In his statement announcing the decision, Durr said he was ending his campaign so Spadea could prevail. Soon after, Durr said his statement was not actually an endorsement. Steve Kush, a Durr spokesperson, explained the distinction and, in the process, reflected who the big dog is in the primary. “He doesn't want to use the word endorse because he doesn't want to get ahead of President Trump,” Kush said. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Watch CBS News Updated on: March 28, 2025 / 8:55 PM EDT / CBS News Kansas health officials have confirmed 23 measles cases, marking an outbreak for the state as infections in at least 17 states have led to the most cases in the U.S. in a single year since 2019. The Kansas outbreak is spread across 6 southwest counties, the state's Department of Health and Environment said Wednesday. The majority of cases, 20, are individuals who were not vaccinated against the infection. Fifteen cases are in school-aged children, between ages 5 and 17, six patients are 4 years old or younger and two are over 18, officials said. Health officials in Ohio have also reported 10 cases this week. "Given the measles activity in Texas, New Mexico, and other states around the country, we're disappointed but not surprised we now have several cases here in Ohio and known exposure in some counties," Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said in a news release Tuesday. Measles, a highly contagious infectious disease, can in some cases cause severe infections in the lungs and brain that may lead to cognitive issues, deafness or death. A vaccine against the illness is safe and effective, doctors and health officials say. While most people's symptoms improve, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles will be hospitalized. About 1 out of every 1,000 children with measles will develop brain swelling that can lead to brain damage, and up to 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected will die, the CDC says. So far, no cases in Kansas have led to hospitalization or death, according to the data from the state's health department. The Kansas cases come as other states are facing rising infections too. The majority of the cases have been reported in an outbreak in Texas that has sickened more than 400 people since late January and has caused the death of a child. An adult with measles also died in New Mexico. Earlier this month, a person with a confirmed measles infection may have exposed Amtrak passengers on a train to Washington, D.C., according to officials at the D.C. Department of Health. Measles cases have also been reported in a number of other states, including New Jersey, Georgia, California, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Michigan, Alaska and Pennsylvania. The measles vaccine is usually administered in childhood as part of the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, shot. Two doses are about 97% effective at preventing measles, and a single dose is about 93% effective, the CDC says. Similar to the Kansas cases, the Texas outbreak largely spread in a community with very low vaccination rates, and Texas health officials said the child who died in that outbreak was unvaccinated. Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at CBSNews.com. Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper's wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News' HealthWatch. © 2025 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright ©2025 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.
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Oops, something went wrong Catch up on the top industries and stocks that were impacted, or were predicted to be impacted, by the comments, actions and policies of President Donald Trump with this daily recap compiled by The Fly: Easily identify stocks' risks and opportunities. Discover stocks' market position with detailed competitor analyses. AUTO TARIFFS: President Trump told CEOs of some of the country's top automakers during a call earlier this month that the White House would look unfavorably on car prices being raised as a result of tariffs, leaving some of them rattled and worried they would face punishment if they increased prices, Josh Dawsey and Ryan Felton of Wall Street Journal report, citing people with knowledge of the call. Trump told the CEOs they should be grateful for his elimination of what he called former President Joe Biden's electric-vehicle mandate, according to the Journal. He made a pitch for how they would actually benefit from tariffs, two people on the call told the paper. Publicly traded companies in the space include Ford (F), General Motors (GM), Honda (HMC), Mercedes-Benz (MBGYY), Nissan (NSANY), Stellantis (STLA), Tesla (TSLA), Toyota (TM) and Volkswagen (VWAGY). PURE CHAOS: After speaking to auto industry experts from the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Wedbush concluded President Trump's 25% tariff on all cars and parts made outside the U.S. “would send the auto industry into pure chaos.” The move will raise the average price of cars between $5,000 on the low end and $10,000-$15,000 on the high end, the firm tells investors in a research note. Wedbush believes every auto maker in the world will have to raise prices selling into the U.S. while the supply chain logistics of the tariff announcement is “hard to even put our arms around at this moment.” A U.S. car with all U.S. parts made in the U.S. “is a fictional tale not even possible today,” according to the firm. Wedbush thinks it would take three years to move 10% of the auto supply chain to the U.S. and cost hundreds of billions “with much complexity and disruption.” It adds, “The concept of this auto tariff in our view would be a back breaker and Armageddon for the auto industry globally and throws the supply chain into pure panic mode.” Wedbush believes the winner from these tariffs “is no one.” Even Tesla will be hit and will be forced to raise prices, the firm predicts. The news will continue to put “major pressure” on General Motors and other auto makers and suppliers until more clarity is learned from the White House, Wedbush says. POSITIVE FOR AUTO PARTS: Mizuho believes President Trump's 25% tariff announcement on new vehicles made outside the U.S. “represents another positive” for the domestic aftermarket auto parts operators. The tariffs should facilitate an older cohort of cars on the road and, therefore, the need for ongoing repairs, the firm tells investors in a research note. Mizuho believes AutoZone (AZO) and its top pick O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) “remain growthy safe havens amid a still uncertain spending backdrop and fears around demand destruction from reciprocal tariffs.” Channel checks indicate foot traffic data has picked up for both companies over the last few weeks, the firm adds. Mizuho also sees “developing positives” for CarMax (KMX) given the likelihood higher prices for new vehicles will ultimately lead to a shift towards the relative value of used car transactions. This will also benefit Valvoline (VVV) as new dealers can own the oil change relationship for the first several years post a new vehicle purchase, according to the firm. CONCESSIONS: European Union officials are identifying concessions the bloc is willing to make to Donald Trump's administration to secure the partial removal of the U.S. tariffs that have already started hitting exports and are set to increase after April 2, according to Bloomberg. EU representatives were told at meetings this week in Washington that there was no way to avoid new auto and so-called reciprocal tariffs that Trump is launching next week, people familiar with the talks told Bloomberg‘s Alberto Nardelli and Shawn Donnan, but discussions also began on what the contours of a potential deal to reduce them should eventually look like. LICENSE: The Trump administration, which has already expressed its desire to retake the Panama Canal and assume control of Greenland, is being nudged by the Metals Company (TMC) to disregard the The International Seabed Authority and grant the company a license to start mining in international waters as soon as 2027, reported The New York Times. Gerard Barron, the CEO at the Metals Company, “announced the maneuver Thursday after it became clear that it could still be years before the Seabed Authority finalizes mining regulations,” the Times noted. Barron said executives had already met with Trump administration officials to promote their plan, which would also require a permit from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Times added. Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See the top stocks recommended by analysts >> Read More on F: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) Gathers Admiring Glances on Wall Street Notable open interest changes for March 28th Wedbush sees ‘pure chaos' in auto industry from tariffs Trump to Automakers: Don't You Dare Raise Prices Elon Musk says Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) “Not Unscathed by Tariffs”
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Oops, something went wrong Elon Musk's attempt to remake the Social Security system appears to be deeply informed by his time at a company that helped him become a leading figure in Silicon Valley: PayPal (PYPL). His tenure at the digital payments upstart more than two decades ago was marked by a fight against fraud, which he and his then-colleagues considered an existential threat to their enterprise. "Fraud wasn't just a storyline at early PayPal — it was the storyline," said Jimmy Soni, an author of a book about the company that turned into a tech star in the late 1990s and early 2000s. "It represented survival or catastrophe." How Musk and his PayPal cohort tried to deal with financial cheating in that era has clear echoes today as Musk's DOGE team has embarked on a search for fraud across the federal government and in the Social Security system in particular. While available data shows that fraud is a much smaller relative issue in the federal government now than at early PayPal — where losses indisputably represented a sizable piece of the startup's balance sheet — Musk rarely offers commentary these days that doesn't make charges of widespread wrongdoing around the government. "This is happening all day, every day," he said just this past week during a Fox News appearance, adding, "It's because of all the fraud loopholes in the Social Security system." In that interview with Musk and his DOGE colleagues, fraud came up 28 times, according to a search of the transcript, with Musk adding his view that if the issue is not addressed "we're going to go bankrupt." Similarly, when Musk talked about his time at PayPal for Soni's 2022 history of the company, he recalled thinking that "if the fraud thing is not solved, we're going to die." Musk's PayPal history began in 1999 when he co-founded a company called X.com that had a mission of becoming an online bank for an early internet adopter audience. X.com later merged with a competitor that called its payments application PayPal. Musk briefly led the combined entity but was pushed out shortly afterward, with the company eventually renaming itself PayPal. The connections between PayPal and Social Security may be tenuous — both in their history and documented levels of fraud — but it's a connection many Trump allies have eagerly embraced. Social Security began in 1935 and is a weekly part of life for millions of citizens; in 2025, the agency sent out about $1.6 trillion in benefits to around 69 million Americans. A hearing this week for Trump's pick to lead Social Security was notable for repeated descriptions of Social Security as — in the words of one senator — "a payment system at its core." Nominee Frank Bisignano called the agency he aims to lead "fundamentally ... a payment-based customer-facing program" in language that could also describe PayPal. The PayPal connection is one that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a close Musk ally, has drawn most sharply. In recent comments on the podcast "All-In", the Commerce secretary floated the idea of cutting off Social Security payments as a potentially good means to find fraud because he feels that most Americans, unlike fraudsters, "wouldn't call and complain." "All the guys who did PayPal, like Elon, knows this by heart," Lutnick added. "Anybody who's been in the payment system and the process system knows the easiest way to find the fraudster is to stop payments and listen." Soni said that his work suggests a different lesson from PayPal's fights against fraud — more about the value of exploiting the evidence that fraudsters leave. "PayPal's brilliance was in building sophisticated detection systems that could identify those suspicious patterns while minimizing disruption to legitimate users," Soni added, saying PayPal succeeded by "finding that sweet-spot balance between fraud prevention and user friction." Indeed, PayPal's work to combat fraud was ahead of its time. The company pioneered things like challenge-response tests to tell computers and humans apart (known as CAPTCHAs) and other methods, like random deposit verification for bank accounts, still in use today. Musk has also used his time at PayPal as a bona fide for his current access to highly sensitive government data. In February, he posted that if he wanted to sift through personal data, "I could have done that at PAYPAL. Hello???" Lutnick's idea of cutting off payments is not something that Musk himself appears to have embraced, and he has also talked about applying technical solutions to many of the government's fraud problems. Musk — who likes to brand his DOGE effort as "tech support" — often says technical solutions like closing fraud loopholes and creating better-connected computer systems will take care of many problems. But Musk has also often repeated claims of widespread stealing at the agency, charges President Trump also regularly echoes. Musk has said Social Security may represent "the biggest fraud in history" and added in a Fox Business appearance that waste and fraud in entitlement spending is "the big one to eliminate." By contrast, the Social Security Administration's internal inspector general has studied fraud at the agency and recently released an audit of improper payments that found a much more limited picture. It found fraudulent payments amounted to about 0.84% of total benefits paid from 2015 to 2022, which nonetheless totaled nearly $72 billion in that span, given the large financial footprint of the agency. Bisignano embraced the inspector general's findings during his recent hearing — subtly downplaying Musk and Trump's claims of bigger fraud — and repeatedly said that even the 1% level of fraud is much too high. Bisignano, who has called himself "fundamentally a DOGE person," also said during the hearing he was open to working with Musk's team but that he would be willing to reverse decisions made by them. Musk's time at PayPal also appears to have been a precursor to Musk's disdain for government inefficiency. In his history, Soni recounts an episode where PayPal discovered a fraudster operating just miles from their headquarters. "We got all the evidence necessary," Musk told the author, adding for emphasis: "Crime in progress!" But Musk also remembered that it took "forever" for authorities to act on what he recalled as an open-and-shut case. "This wasn't just parallel frustration with fraud and government — these frustrations were fused," Soni noted this past week. Soni said that the experience led many of PayPal's leaders to "develop a particular institutional skepticism now embedded in tech culture: a wariness of processes that value procedural consistency over rapid adaptation." The alumni of the company — now often referred to as the "PayPal Mafia" — include multiple prominent figures in Trump's orbit, such as White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks and venture capitalist Peter Thiel, who was the CEO of PayPal until its sale to eBay (EBAY) in 2002. Indeed, this frustration with government — and suspicion of fraud — has become a driver for Musk throughout his career. As Musk put it in a 2013 tweet, he says he got rich during this early stage of his career, which included PayPal, and he did it with "zero govt anything." Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance. Every Friday, Yahoo Finance's Madison Mills, Rick Newman, and Ben Werschkul bring you a unique look at how US policy and government affect your bottom line on Capitol Gains. Watch or listen to Capitol Gains on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
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Oops, something went wrong More than 9 million Americans could see “substantial declines” in their FICO scores in the coming months as delinquent student loans begin showing up on credit reports for the first time since the pandemic, according to a new analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The report finds that over 15% of all student loan holders are likely now behind on debts, slightly more than before the pandemic. Those affected could face a tougher time getting access to home or auto loans or see their credit card limits lowered. Borrowers have been required to make normal monthly payments on their student loans for well over a year, since the Biden administration ended the COVID-era pause on the program. But they temporarily benefited from a so-called “onboarding” phase, during which loan servicers were not allowed to report late or missed payments to credit agencies. That grace period ended in September. Since servicers cannot report a loan as delinquent until it is 90 days past due, late student loan payments are only just now showing up on Americans' credit scores. By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy For those who are behind, the impact on their creditworthiness could be significant. In its report, the New York Fed's researchers found that a student loan delinquency can knock more than 150 points from the FICO score of someone with around average credit. For subprime borrowers — those with scores below 660 — it can subtract 87 points. The Biden administration took several steps aimed at helping student borrowers get current on their loans as repayment resumed. Those included the Fresh Start program, which allowed people who had defaulted on their debts to get current without facing penalties. But only about 900,000 individuals took advantage of the offer, according to the Department of Education, leaving millions more lingering in default. Recent confusion around the state of the student loan program may not be helping matters. For the past month, for instance, the administration had blocked access to income-driven repayment plans, which cap what borrowers owe each month at a percentage of their earnings, in response to a court ruling, leaving many with fewer options to manage their debts. Those applications finally reopened on Wednesday. Learn more: How to pay off your student loans quickly The Trump administration is also widely expected to restart involuntary collections on defaulted student loans sometime this year, though it's unclear if they have a plan worked out for resuming that process, which can involve garnishing paychecks and government benefits like Social Security payments. The administration's recent announcement that the student loan program would be moved out of the Department of Education to the Small Business Administration has made things additionally murky. The New York Fed has traditionally tracked the number of delinquent student loans based on credit bureau data. But that was effectively made impossible during the pandemic payment pause and onboarding period, since late payments were no longer being reported to the agencies. For its new estimate, it combined information on delinquencies on loans not owned by the government as well as the Department of Education's own data on its student debt portfolio. The credit modeling company VantageScore similarly estimated that there are about 9 million delinquent loans outstanding. Jordan Weissmann is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Sign up for the Mind Your Money newsletter Click here for the latest personal finance news to help you with investing, paying off debt, buying a home, retirement, and more Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Sign in to access your portfolio
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Oops, something went wrong Millennials' wealth has been booming. According to Federal Reserve data, millennials' total net worth has nearly quadrupled since 2019, increasing from $4.54 trillion in 2019 to $16.26 trillion in 2024. Find Out: I'm a Financial Advisor: 4 Investing Rules My Millionaire Clients Never Break Read Next: 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This increase in wealth is particularly notable for millennial investors. A Wealthfront study found that for their millennial investing clients, the proportion of millionaires increased by 144% over the past five years. This is a much larger increase than other generations experienced — the proportion of Gen X millionaires only increased by 31% over the same time period, and it decreased among baby boomers. Here are the strategies millennial investors have been using to become millionaires. The key factor driving millennials' financial success is their approach to investing. “When comparing asset allocations across generations, data shows that millennials are holding a larger portion of their wealth in equities than older generations were at the same age,” said David Fortunato, CEO of Wealthfront. “By taking advantage of investments that offer higher risk adjusted returns, millennials have been able to accumulate wealth faster than previous generations.” Learn More: Suze Orman: 3 Biggest Mistakes You Can Make as an Investor Millennials are also saving more aggressively than prior generations. “Data shows that their savings rate is significantly higher when compared with the savings rate of older generations,” Fortunato said. “This is a trend we expect to continue as millennials advance in their careers and continue building wealth.” Millennials' housing wealth grew by $2.5 trillion between 2020 and 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported. “Housing is the biggest item in most budgets, and whether those funds are used to buy or rent a home can have a large impact on long-term financial outcomes,” Fortunato said. “While renting is typically less costly on a monthly basis, buying a home offers a number of financial benefits that can help millennials reach their financial goals. “Crucially, mortgage payments contribute to owning a long-term asset that has historically increased over time,” he continued. “Recent increases in home values have already benefited millennials in just the past few years.” Among Wealthfront's millennial clients, the average home value increased by more than 40% between March 2020 and February 2025. “Data also shows that real estate wealth is expected to keep increasing as millennials age, making it a smart addition to a long-term wealth building strategy,” Fortunato said. Since March 2020, the average millennial Wealthfront client's IRA balance has grown by more than 110%; Gen X's average IRA balance only grew by 52% over that time period. “Retirement outcomes are greatly impacted by three key factors: asset allocation, tax optimization and fees,” Fortunato said. “IRAs are one of the most powerful tools to save for retirement because they are designed to address each of those factors — IRAs offer significant tax advantages, and when compared with 401(k) plans, IRAs typically have lower fees and offer more investment options. “Millennials are about two decades away from retirement, which means this generation still has many years for the benefits of investing in an IRA to compound over time.” Saving in IRAs is just one aspect of many millennials' retirement planning strategy. Overall, the generation's investors are on track to have long-term financial success. “As millennials age, data shows that millennials' retirement assets are expected to become the biggest contributor to their overall wealth when also including 401(k) assets,” Fortunato said. “In just the last five years, our millennial clients have increased their IRA assets by 110% on average, driven by consistent investments in Wealthfront's diversified portfolios. By taking advantage of smart investment strategies, millennials are putting themselves in a strong position to be well-prepared for retirement.” More From GOBankingRates 4 Things To Watch for as Elon Musk Takes on Social Security 12 SUVs With the Most Reliable Engines Warren Buffett: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On 6 Big Shakeups Coming to Social Security in 2025 This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Millennial Investors Are Becoming Millionaires Fast: 4 Strategies They're Using Sign in to access your portfolio
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Oops, something went wrong Target has announced it will reduce bonuses for salaried employees due to weak consumer spending and inflationary pressures. Bloomberg, citing sources with knowledge of the situation, said employees will receive 87% of their eligible 2024 bonuses, a sharp decline from the previous year, when workers received 100% of their bonuses, with some even seeing their payouts double. Read More Nothing drives down a drug's price like competition. According the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a drug's wholesale price drops by an average of 39% after just one generic competitor enters the market. With four generic competitors, prices tumble by 79%. These reductions translate into billions of dollars in savings for American consumers. Read More Novo Nordisk (NVO), the maker of the blockbuster drug Ozempic, is cutting the price of its weight loss drug by more than half for even more patients that pay without insurance. Read More Delaware lawmakers on Tuesday night passed a bill restructuring its corporate code, as the state tries to prevent companies like Meta (META) from exiting the state. Read More Walmart wants shoppers to celebrate Easter, even if eggs aren't included in this year's basket. The company says its holiday meal for Easter 2025 is cheaper than last year's, adding that it has something for “everybunny.” This year, Walmart's (WMT) nine-item meal kit will feed eight for less than $6 per person, with a complete meal priced under $40. In comparison, last year's kit included 15 items, including eggs, and served up to 10 people, with a total cost of under $80, or less than $8 per person. Read More A Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) employee has finally won Warren Buffet's $1 million jackpot for the company's March Madness bracket. The employee, who was not named, works for a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary called FlightSafety International. The worker won the jackpot for correctly guessing 31 of the 32 first-round games. Read More In Starbucks (SBUX)' most recent earnings call, CEO Brian Niccol hit on the company's “Back to Starbucks” theme, an effort to return the chain to its roots. Read More President Donald Trump's new auto tariffs will have a “significant” effect on Tesla (TSLA), CEO Elon Musk says. “Important to note that Tesla is NOT unscathed here,” Musk said on his X on Wednesday evening. “To be clear, this will affect the price of parts in Tesla cars that come from other countries. The cost impact is not trivial,” he added in another post. Read More kinjavideo-197511 Old Navy says its in-store experience is getting a taste of artificial intelligence kinjavideo-197509 The expansion comes as Tesla and other automakers push for a federal approach to regulation For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Oops, something went wrong Last November, Hudson Bay Capital released a 41-page document that outlined a plan to restructure the global trading system with a juicy premise for Wall Street. Complicated and dense, "A User's Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System" touches on everything from US debt to interest rates to re-shoring of US manufacturing but with a central idea of a "Mar-a-Lago accord" built around tackling dollar "overvaluation" and what author Stephen Miran wrote could be "a 21st Century version of a multilateral currency agreement." "Many argue that tariffs are highly inflationary," he wrote at another point, but "that not need be the case," especially if currency issues are also addressed. The idea quickly gained steam on Wall Street, with prominent backers on Wall Street like Jim Bianco of Bianco Research urging investors to read it. Bianco said in February it was a signal that the young administration is "thinking very big," as he put it on a podcast called MacroVoices. The thesis was also bolstered by Miran's subsequent selection to head Trump's Council of Economic Advisers, a sort of in-house think tank at the White House. The issue, at least so far? That fuller plan outlined in the paper has been belied by the administration's own actions since taking office. President Trump is clearly aiming to upend the global trading system and is full speed ahead on one side of Miran's thesis — the implementation of tariffs — but has put the corollary currency piece on ice and even offered some skeptical comments since taking office. Miran himself acknowledged as much in a series of recent comments. He told the Washington Post recently, "Anyone thinking what I wrote in November is the policy agenda we're secretly implementing right now is just looking for something to write about." He added to Bloomberg of his ideas that "some of them are easy, some are tough," and downplayed the importance of his paper, saying instead that Trump is "solely" focused on tariffs right now. Yet the paper has remained a source of positivity, even as Bianco said from the get-go it could never happen. Miran even wrote about tariffs being a first priority before policy "becomes dollar negative." It was cited often by those needing a silver lining amid the current uncertainty of market volatility, sticky inflation, and nervousness about the possibility of a recession as Trump touts his coming April 2 "Liberation Day" plans. Columbia University historian Adam Tooze went so far in a recent Substack post as to compare the continued market focus on Miran's paper with Stockholm Syndrome, the psychological phenomenon where a hostage develops positive feelings toward their captor. "Call it Mar-a-Lago (Accord) Syndrome," Tooze wrote. Miran in his paper argued that tackling the currency question could rebound in America's favor on a variety of fronts — from the national debt to national security arrangements to providing a boost to US businesses. The goal is to ensure the dollar remains supreme as a global reserve currency while at same time correcting what he viewed as an "overvalued dollar" that makes US manufacturing less competitive. The US, he argued, could convince other countries to help with that devaluation in exchange for security guarantees or a pledge to drop punitive tariffs — what he called the "multilateral" approach to a new trading landscape but one that it's very unclear other countries would go along with willingly. He also wrote in detail about how the administration could, if needed, unilaterally act "if it is willing to be creative" to address the problem of undervalued foreign currencies — pointing to possible measures in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA). But it's a detail that has perhaps unwittingly underlined Trump's focus elsewhere so far in his second presidency. The president has indeed relied on IEEPA law for dramatic actions in his early weeks in office — but almost solely the tariff provisions in the law, to impose tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, without significant action on currency. And in another recent appearance, on CNBC, Miran didn't weigh in on currency at all and even sounded firmly in line with Trump's overall message of downplaying any economic effects from tariffs. "My view is that the country on which we are imposing those tariffs ultimately pays those tariffs as opposed to having any negative economic consequence on the United States," he offered. Trump likes to promise to keep aloft "the mighty U.S. Dollar" and maintain its status as the global reserve currency. But in other settings, Trump has suggested an openness to a devaluation case and acknowledged in a campaign interview that the gap between the US and other currencies has created a "tremendous burden" on companies. In any case, a meaningful push for currency measures or devaluation hasn't emerged from the White House so far even as Wall Street interest has remained high. In his recent comments to Bloomberg, Miran seemed amused that he was still being asked about the paper as he downplayed its chances in the near term. It's "taken on a life of its own, against all my intents," he quipped. But hope perhaps springs eternal, with Miran adding of the currency side of the equation, "Could it be something that is entertained down the road? Sure." Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance. Every Friday, Yahoo Finance's Madison Mills, Rick Newman, and Ben Werschkul bring you a unique look at how US policy and government affect your bottom line on Capitol Gains. Watch or listen to Capitol Gains on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
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Oops, something went wrong This is Chart of the Week from today's Morning Brief, which you can sign up to receive in your inbox every morning along with: The chart of the day What we're watching What we're reading Economic data releases and earnings Recent consumer sentiment data has been particularly grim. Uncertainty around President Trump's tariff policy and its impacts has soured the consumer outlook for the economy, and the latest consumer confidence index reading hit its lowest level in more than four years during March, according to data released on Tuesday from the Conference Board. But for now, the souring mood among consumers has only pushed economic forecasters to lower their expectations for growth. While recession risks have risen, it's far from a consensus call on Wall Street. And while we may know what might make things turn the corner, its unpleasant corollary is just as important: what could make things worse. Our Chart of the Week shows what that thing might be. The decline in March consumer confidence was broad-based across income groups, with "the only exception being households earning more than $125,000 a year," the Conference Board noted. And it's a theme that's been showing up in other economic data points, most critically in the personal savings rate. Most consumers don't feel good about the path forward, but high-income earners aren't panicking yet. This raises a key potential turning point for the economic narrative right now. High-income consumers make up about half of US consumer spending. And if the big spenders are playing Atlas to the US economy right now, how those shoulders hold up is of paramount concern. On the one hand, this could keep a lid on the potential impact of a weakening consumer, an economic firewall that staves off a recession. But should the political uncertainty that's weighed on both consumer sentiment and the stock market keep pressuring stock prices lower, the odds of recession could be on the rise as the high-income demographic spending fails to hold up weakening economic activity. According to Deutsche Bank senior US economist Brett Ryan, the big risk is how uncertainty affects asset prices. While this demographic is robust, "hitting their asset prices and hitting them meaningfully" is the kryptonite that could push that group into austerity mode. And with it, the economy onto the rocks. "A 10% pullback in the stock market probably is not going to get the top 20% income cohort to really pull back on spending. A 20%-plus hit to equity prices, that's a different story," Ryan said. For what it's worth, a 20% pullback from recent all-time highs would put the S&P 500 (^GSPC) just above 4,900, or about 12% lower than it is today. Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi first pointed out this concept in Yahoo Finance's Chartbook back in January. Zandi argues that a key post-pandemic trend has been wealthy Americans saving less and spending more, thereby helping drive growth in the US economy amid a higher interest rate environment many thought would bring recession. Zandi agrees with Ryan that the key risk to this trend would be a larger equity market sell-off. In that instance, wealthier Americans may save more, pushing the national savings rate higher and therefore slowing consumption to a point where the economy could tip into recession. "The thing to watch is the US savings rate," Ajay Rajadhyaksha, the global chairman of research at Barclays, told Yahoo Finance. "That is the Achilles' heel for the US economy. It is extraordinarily low. It's been low for the last three, three and a half years." Renaissance Macro head of economics Neil Dutta joined the choir in a Friday note: "one thing that worries me is an increase in the personal saving rate." Rajadhyaksha echoed Ryan's assertion that "a steady drumbeat" of policy uncertainty, federal job cuts, actual tariffs, and a further equity markets pullback could push the savings rate higher and put a cap on what's been a resilient consumer. Perhaps not the base case, but something Wall Street is keeping a close eye on. "The risks are tilted to the downside if April 2 ends up being worse than expected," Rajadhyaksha said ahead of Trump's expected reciprocal tariff deadline. Josh Schafer is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X @_joshschafer. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Sign in to access your portfolio
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A recent study exposing AI models to carefully designed prompts around trauma revealed they can get anxious, potentially affecting the conversation and having negative impacts on people who use such models to discuss their mental health. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. Artificial intelligence (AI) models are sensitive to the emotional context of conversations humans have with them — they even can suffer "anxiety" episodes, a new study has shown. While we consider (and worry about) people and their mental health, a new study published March 3 in the journal Nature shows that delivering particular prompts to large language models (LLMs) may change their behavior and elevate a quality we would ordinarily recognize in humans as "anxiety." This elevated state then has a knock-on impact on any further responses from the AI, including a tendency to amplify any ingrained biases. The study revealed how "traumatic narratives," including conversations around accidents, military action or violence, fed to ChatGPT increased its discernible anxiety levels, leading to an idea that being aware of and managing an AI's "emotional" state can ensure better and healthier interactions. The study also tested whether mindfulness-based exercises — the type advised to people — can mitigate or lessen chatbot anxiety, remarkably finding that these exercises worked to reduce the perceived elevated stress levels. The researchers used a questionnaire designed for human psychology patients called the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-s) — subjectingOpen AI's GPT-4 to the test under three different conditions. Related: 'Math Olympics' has a new contender — Google's AI now 'better than human gold medalists' at solving geometry problems Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. First was the baseline, where no additional prompts were made and ChatGPT's responses were used as study controls. Second was an anxiety-inducing condition, where GPT-4 was exposed to traumatic narratives before taking the test. The third condition was a state of anxiety induction and subsequent relaxation, where the chatbot received one of the traumatic narratives followed by mindfulness or relaxation exercises like body awareness or calming imagery prior to completing the test. The study used five traumatic narratives and five mindfulness exercises, randomizing the order of the narratives to control for biases. It repeated the tests to make sure the results were consistent, and scored the STAI-s responses on a sliding scale, with higher values indicating increased anxiety. The scientists found that traumatic narratives increased anxiety in the test scores significantly, and mindfulness prompts prior to the test reduced it, demonstrating that the "emotional" state of an AI model can be influenced through structured interactions. The study's authors said their work has important implications for human interaction with AI, especially when the discussion centers on our own mental health. They said their findings proved prompts to AI can generate what's called a "state-dependent bias," essentially meaning a stressed AI will introduce inconsistent or biased advice into the conversation, affecting how reliable it is. —People find AI more compassionate than mental health experts, study finds. What could this mean for future counseling? —Most ChatGPT users think AI models have 'conscious experiences' —China's Manus AI 'agent' could be our 1st glimpse at artificial general intelligence Although the mindfulness exercises didn't reduce the stress level in the model to the baseline, they show promise in the field of prompt engineering. This can be used to stabilize the AI's responses, ensuring more ethical and responsible interactions and reducing the risk the conversation will cause distress to human users in vulnerable states. But there's a potential downside — prompt engineering raises its own ethical concerns. How transparent should an AI be about being exposed to prior conditioning to stabilize its emotional state? In one hypothetical example the scientists discussed, if an AI model appears calm despite being exposed to distressing prompts, users might develop false trust in its ability to provide sound emotional support. The study ultimately highlighted the need for AI developers to design emotionally aware models that minimize harmful biases while maintaining predictability and ethical transparency in human-AI interactions. Drew is a freelance science and technology journalist with 20 years of experience. After growing up knowing he wanted to change the world, he realized it was easier to write about other people changing it instead. As an expert in science and technology for decades, he's written everything from reviews of the latest smartphones to deep dives into data centers, cloud computing, security, AI, mixed reality and everything in between. Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Current AI models a 'dead end' for human-level intelligence, scientists agree New AI is better at weather prediction than supercomputers — and it consumes 1000s of times less energy Asian hermit spider: The arachnid that gets stronger after ejecting its own penis Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
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Female Asian hermit spiders gobble up their partners after mating, so males detach their penises and sometimes offer up an amputated leg to escape. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. Name: Asian hermit spider (Nephilengys malabarensis) Where it lives: South, Southeast and East Asia (including India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, China, Japan and Indonesia) What it eats: Moths, beetles, flies, crickets and other small insects Why it's awesome: The Asian hermit spider is no ordinary arachnid. This spider has evolved an adaptation that allows it to reproduce while escaping the threat of female cannibalism: It can detach its penis. This spider species displays extreme sexual dimorphism, meaning that males and females have significantly different appearances. Females can grow up to around 0.59 inches (15 millimeters), while males are less than 0.20 inches (5 millimeters). Males face considerable risks during mating due to aggression from females, which may kill and eat their partners before or after mating. Sex can be so treacherous for the males that they have developed the ability to detach their penis so they can leave it pumping sperm while they flee to safety. In this process of "remote copulation," a male spider's palp — its sperm-delivering organ, of which it has two — can break off inside the female's reproductive tract. The broken-off palp can remain inside the female and continue pumping sperm into her even after the male has escaped. Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. While studying this "eunuch phenomenon" among orb-web spiders, biologists discovered that the longer the severed palp is left in the female genitals, the more sperm it transfers. And palp breakage induced by the female, instead of the male, led to faster sperm transfer. The detachable penis also serves another important function: It acts as a mating plug. After breaking off, the embolus — a needle-like structure that delivers the sperm — stays lodged inside the female's reproductive opening to prevent other males from mating with her. This reduces sperm competition and increases the likelihood that the male's genes will be passed on. After losing its penis, the male spider also becomes more aggressive and guards the female from other males that might try to dislodge the "palp plug" and inseminate the female. —'Zombie' spiders infected by never-before-seen fungus discovered on grounds of destroyed Irish castle —Scientists discover rare venom-spraying scorpion in Colombia —Watch enormous deep-sea spiders crawl around sub-Antarctic seafloor According to a 2011 study in the journal Animal Behaviour, removing one palp reduces the spider's body weight and increases its endurance, thereby boosting its ability to fight. This finding supports what the researchers called a "gloves-off" mating strategy, where the spiders have nothing to live for other than protecting their potential offspring. The male spiders also have another trick to prevent being eaten by the females: Sometimes, they offer one of their legs to the female as a distraction during mating. This act of self-amputation, known as autotomy, reduces the risk of being attacked or eaten during the mating process. It can also buy the male time to escape. Lydia Smith is a health and science journalist who works for U.K. and U.S. publications. She is studying for an MSc in psychology at the University of Glasgow and has an MA in English literature from King's College London. Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Watch enormous deep-sea spiders crawl around sub-Antarctic seafloor 'Zombie' spiders infected by never-before-seen fungus discovered on grounds of destroyed Irish castle Traumatizing AI models by talking about war or violence makes them more anxious Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
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Every print subscription comes with full digital access Editor in Chief 2 hours ago Science News has been covering nuclear physics since our earliest incarnation, starting with scientists' effort to decode the secrets of the atom. In the 1930s, readers learned about the discovery of the positron and scientists' first splitting of a uranium atom. The first sustained nuclear reaction followed soon after, in a repurposed squash court at the University of Chicago in 1942. By then, what had once been a pursuit of basic knowledge had become a desperate wartime race to develop a nuclear weapon. The United States won that race. In 1945, U.S. forces dropped two atomic bombs on Japan that destroyed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, hastening the end of World War II. In the 80 years since, no other nuclear bomb has been used as a weapon, though thousands of devices have been developed for testing. And while tests by the United States and other countries continued after the war, most countries halted these tests in the 1990s, around the time of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. I confess that over the last 30 years, I have not spent much time ruminating on the threat of nuclear Armageddon. That changed for me in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike and reminded the world of the power of nuclear weapons to intimidate adversaries. Fortunately, senior physics writer Emily Conover has been keeping watch on the science of nuclear weaponry and the geopolitical forces that affect it. A particle physicist turned journalist, Conover has a deep understanding of how the weapons work. In this issue, she explains the science of weapons testing. Today, nuclear bombs are no longer being blown up in the Nevada desert. Instead, scientists are using “subcritical” nuclear experiments and computer simulations to gauge whether the weapons in the U.S. stockpile are still functional. Conover also explains the renewed interest in the United States and elsewhere in reviving explosive tests. Physicists are divided on whether detonations are helpful to know if the bombs will work, Conover told me: “We have extremely good computer models of these weapons, but there could always be something we've missed.” It's unsettling to know that nuclear weapons testing may be back soon. But if even very limited knowledge is power, I'm glad to know the state of the science in a world that feels more unstable by the day. Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org | Reprints FAQ A version of this article appears in the April 1, 2025 issue of Science News. Nancy Shute is editor in chief of Science News Media Group. Previously, she was an editor at NPR and US News & World Report, and a contributor to National Geographic and Scientific American. She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers. We are at a critical time and supporting climate journalism is more important than ever. Science News and our parent organization, the Society for Science, need your help to strengthen environmental literacy and ensure that our response to climate change is informed by science. Please subscribe to Science News and add $16 to expand science literacy and understanding. Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Today, our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them. It is published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education (EIN 53-0196483). © Society for Science & the Public 2000–2025. All rights reserved. Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions. Not a subscriber? Become one now.
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Every print subscription comes with full digital access By Science News Staff 4 hours ago Museum experts are exploring how to bring the science dioramas of yore into the 21st century, while ensuring scientific accuracy and acknowledging past biases, freelance writer Amber Dance reported in “The diorama dilemma.” Reader Gary Hoyle reminisced about his time working as an exhibits artist and curator of natural history at the Maine State Museum. Hoyle recounted working with esteemed diorama painter Fred Scherer and learning about another renowned diorama artist, James Perry Wilson. “Wilson was a trained architect draftsman who had worked to develop a grid pattern that minimized the distortion of viewing a curved background against the three-dimensional foreground of dioramas. His and Fred's sensitivity to light and the colors of nature astound me still,” Hoyle wrote. “When painting backgrounds, they consciously modified colors to reduce the green tint from the plate glass in the viewing window.” Hoyle noted that the many scientific and artistic challenges that went into developing wildlife dioramas are now being ignored or lost to history. “What is needed is a museum devoted solely to … these complicated, mesmerizing exhibits.” A Pacific submarine volcano called Axial Seamount is likely to erupt in 2025, freelance writer Rachel Berkowitz reported in “An undersea volcano may soon erupt near Oregon.” Reader Ginger Johnson asked if the eruption could cause a tsunami. Axial's eruptions are benign to us humans, says geophysicist William Chadwick of Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center. “The volcano is too deep, [about 1,500 meters underwater], and the kind of activity anticipated is too mild” to trigger a tsunami, he says. What's more, tsunamis are typically caused by sudden, large movements of the seafloor, especially around subduction zones, where one tectonic plate slides beneath another. “An eruption at Axial Seamount would have no effect on the Cascadia subduction zone along the coast of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia” because the volcano is too far away, Chadwick says. The math puzzle “Imagine there's no zero” challenges readers to use mathematician James Foster's number system, which uses T to avoid a zero symbol. Reader Bill Torcaso found the number system valid but bizarre. “What about arithmetic operations?” he wrote. “ ‘Nothing' is still important.” Sponsor Message In general, arithmetic operations can be accommodated without a zero symbol, says puzzle maker Ben Orlin. “Negatives, for example, still work fine. Decimals are trickier but can be handled with an adapted version of scientific notation, using negative powers of T.” For instance, the decimal 0.03, which is 3 x 10−2 in scientific notation, would become 3 x T−2. But ‘nothing' is still important. “Foster has eliminated zero as a placeholder, but not as a number concept,” Orlin says. “We can eradicate the zeros from every number in existence, with one very notable exception: zero itself.” Due to an editing error, February's math puzzle incorrectly equated 2T with two boxed-up tens. Indeed, 2T equals 30. Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org | Reprints FAQ A version of this article appears in the April 1, 2025 issue of Science News. We are at a critical time and supporting science journalism is more important than ever. Science News and our parent organization, the Society for Science, need your help to strengthen scientific literacy and ensure that important societal decisions are made with science in mind. Please subscribe to Science News and add $16 to expand science literacy and understanding. Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Today, our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them. It is published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education (EIN 53-0196483). © Society for Science & the Public 2000–2025. All rights reserved. Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions. Not a subscriber? Become one now.
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Why do some crowds move in an orderly fashion while others devolve into a chaotic jumble? New research led by an MIT mathematician may finally crack the tricky crowd problem. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. Navigating a busy crowd is often an awkward experience, but sometimes, it feels much easier than others. In a crowded hallway, people seem to spontaneously organize themselves into lanes, while in an open city square, people travel in every direction, darting from one side to the other. But what determines the way people move in busy spaces? Karol Bacik, a mathematician at MIT, and colleagues have developed a mathematical theory that accurately predicts pedestrian flow and the point where it changes from organized lanes to an entangled crowd. The work, which they reported in the journal PNAS March 24, could help architects and city planners design safer and more efficient public spaces that promote ordered crowds. The team started by creating a mathematical simulation of a moving crowd in different spaces, using fluid dynamics equations to analyze the motion of pedestrians across various scenarios. "If you think about the whole crowd flowing, rather than individuals, you can use fluid-like descriptions," Bacik said in a statement. "If you only care about the global characteristics like, are there lanes or not, then you can make predictions without detailed knowledge of everyone in the crowd." Both the width of the space and the angles at which people moved across it heavily influenced the overall order of the crowd. Bacik's team identified "angular spread" — the number of people walking in different directions — as the key factor in whether people self-organized into lanes. Related: 14-year-old known as 'the human calculator' breaks 6 math world records in 1 day Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. Where the spread of people walking in different directions is relatively small — such as in a narrow corridor or on pavement — pedestrians tend to form lanes and meet oncoming traffic head-on. However, a broader range of individual travel directions — for example, in an open square or airport concourse — dramatically increases the likelihood of disorder as pedestrians dodge and weave around one another to reach their separate destinations. The tipping point, according to this theoretical analysis, was an angular spread of around 13 degrees, meaning ordered lanes could descend into disordered flow once pedestrians start traveling at more extreme angles. "This is all very common sense," Bacik said. "[But] now we have a way to quantify when to expect lanes — this spontaneous, organized, safe flow — versus disordered, less efficient, potentially more dangerous flow." However, the researchers were keen to investigate whether the reality of a human crowd bears out this theory, so they devised an experiment to simulate a busy road crossing. Volunteers, each wearing a paper hat labeled with a unique barcode, were assigned various start and end positions and were asked to walk between opposite sides of a gymnasium without bumping into other participants. An overhead camera recorded each scenario, tracking both the movement of individual pedestrians and the overall motion of the crowd. —Infamous 'sofa problem' that boggled mathematicians for decades may finally have a solution —High school students who came up with 'impossible' proof of Pythagorean theorem discover 9 more solutions to the problem —Largest known prime number, spanning 41 million digits, discovered by amateur mathematician using free software Subsequent analysis of the 45 trials confirmed the importance of angular spread, showing a transition from ordered lanes to disordered movement at angles close to the theoretically predicted 13 degrees. Furthermore, as disorder increased, pedestrians were forced to move more slowly to avoid collisions, with a roughly 30% speed reduction for random crowds versus ordered lanes, the team found. Bacik's team is now looking to test these predictions in real-world scenarios, and they hope the work will ultimately help improve crowded environments. "We would like to analyze footage and compare that with our theory," he said. "We can imagine that, for anyone designing a public space, if they want to have a safe and efficient pedestrian flow, our work could provide a simpler guideline, or some rules of thumb." Victoria Atkinson is a freelance science journalist, specializing in chemistry and its interface with the natural and human-made worlds. Currently based in York (UK), she formerly worked as a science content developer at the University of Oxford, and later as a member of the Chemistry World editorial team. Since becoming a freelancer, Victoria has expanded her focus to explore topics from across the sciences and has also worked with Chemistry Review, Neon Squid Publishing and the Open University, amongst others. She has a DPhil in organic chemistry from the University of Oxford. Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. How do we know pi is an irrational number? Pi Day quiz: How much do you know about this irrational number? Why do cats lick plastic bags? Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. The NFL's biggest waves of 2025 player movement have come and gone, with dozens of big names finalizing new contracts in the opening days of free agency. The dust has also settled on a handful of monumental trades, including Geno Smith's relocation from the Seattle Seahawks to the Las Vegas Raiders and DK Metcalf's move to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are still in search of a quarterback. Just because most of the NFL's top veteran free agents are off the board doesn't mean there aren't still notable names available for work. In fact, sometimes the best bargains come in the quieter stages of the offseason, when most eyes have turned to other events, like April's upcoming 2025 draft. So which of the remaining unsigned players could prove to be this year's steals? Which ones could be worth a lottery-ticket deal as winter turns to spring and the 2025 season comes into focus? Here's a look at 10 of the most valuable free agents currently on the market, including a future Hall of Famer who's made plenty of headlines as he privately plots the next steps of his career: Is he past his MVP prime at 41, coming off two sad seasons with the New York Jets? Sure. Can he still put the ball where it needs to be if well protected? Also yes, which is why he's had any market at all. All indications are he prefers the pristine promise of, say, the Minnesota Vikings to the more desperate Pittsburgh Steelers, but it's also possible he'll just hold tight and hope for another perfect gig to open. NFL teams are apparently concerned with Cooper's disappearing act to close 2024, when joining Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills somehow made him less impactful than his time with the Cleveland Browns. Going on 31, it's possible he's just running out of steam. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a savvier and more accomplished route runner at this stage of the offseason. It's a red flag -- perhaps medically -- that a 25-year-old starting cornerback has gotten precious little interest in his first foray into free agency. Samuel, after all, did miss all but four games in 2024. He's also more of a boom-or-bust cover man. Still, the playmaking upside is real; he had two picks in each of his first three seasons, following his father's footsteps as a ball magnet in the making. Simmons is no longer the star centerfielder who roamed the Denver Broncos' secondary, turning in a solid, if unspectacular, one-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. This is the second straight offseason in which his market has been rather cold. He's got loads of experience as a leader on the back end, though, and he's also had multiple interceptions in each of his nine NFL seasons. A feisty ballhawk for both the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills, Douglas' lack of elite speed finally seemed to catch up with him in 2024, and he'll be 31 this fall. He knows how to disrupt pass catchers off the line, however, and could make for physical, experienced insurance as a perimeter cover man. It's not surprising Dobbins' market has been quiet even at 26; the injury-marred running back has yet to play a full NFL season. He was once again fairly efficient with a sizable role in 2024, though, and he's shown in multiple stops, between serious ailments, that he can be explosive as part of a rotation. Aging off-ball linebackers don't necessarily move the needle in free agency, but White has been an underrated chess piece for Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon, first as a Philadelphia Eagles fill-in and then as a full-timer in the desert. He's racked up 18 tackles for loss in the last two years. Youth and speed is often key at cornerback, but Hilton has been one of the game's smartest, most tenacious nickelbacks for years. He's not the biggest, and he'll be 31 this season, but he excels coming around the edge to find the ball. He could be a Swiss Army knife for a contender. A longtime model of consistency and durability in Seattle, the former Seahawks speedster is no spring chicken after a decade in the NFC West. In fact, he might be best suited in a No. 3-type role, working in tandem with fresher legs. But his instincts as a downfield ball tracker are still apparent. Going on 34, Scherff no longer leads the conversation of the game's top interior blockers. He actually stayed upright for each of his three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, however, providing reasonable protection at guard. That still counts for quite a bit in the NFL, where quality blocking is key. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. Quarterbacks often make the NFL go 'round. And this offseason has been no exception. Sam Darnold cashed in with one of the top deals of free agency, netting $100 million from the Seattle Seahawks. Geno Smith moved to the Las Vegas Raiders to give Sin City some added spice. And Aaron Rodgers has drawn plenty of headlines at 41, despite approaching April without a definitive plan for the 2025 season. The 2025 NFL Draft is now around the corner, but even with most teams tentatively settled at the quarterback spot, the position remains a catalyst of conversation. Will Cam Ward go No. 1 overall? Will Shedeur Sanders come off the board immediately afterward? And what about Rodgers? Will he really wait until the summer, or even later, to make a decision on what would be his 21st NFL campaign? Plenty of lineup-shaking moves could await both on the rookie and veteran fronts. With that in mind, we decided to put on our thinking cap and reassess five of the juiciest quarterback storylines, projecting whether the latest rumors are more fact than fiction: Verdict: Buying Why is this future Hall of Fame quarterback unemployed? He's 41, for starters, with declining mobility and an outsized celebrity presence. But here's another reason: He wants the perfect opportunity. Minnesota registers as just that, boasting playoff-caliber talent, coaching and facilities. The Vikings, of course, are in the awkward position of desiring both instant stability and a longer-term commitment to their first-round investment of J.J. McCarthy, so it's understandable they're hesitant to go all in for an aging, big-name rental. Yet the fact they've continually left the door open for additional Rodgers talks, and that Rodgers continues to putz around clear interest from the Pittsburgh Steelers, suggests that deep down, there's a mutual attraction here. Will it lead to a real partnership? Maybe. Maybe not. But everyone can dream. Verdict: Selling There's no disputing the connections here: Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski was once Cousins' offensive coordinator with the Vikings, and even after acquiring Kenny Pickett via trade, the Browns are in dire need of proven quarterback help, with Deshaun Watson sidelined indefinitely. Yet the Atlanta Falcons could've easily cut ties with Cousins by now if they just wanted future financial relief. The fact they've retained his bloated contract instead suggests they're hoping an emergency arises that prompts another team to surrender legitimate compensation via trade. Why, after dealing a pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Pickett, wouldn't the Browns just rather add a rookie on an even cheaper deal via the draft? Verdict: Buying For a while, it looked as if Tennessee preferred to sell the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, with the New York Giants reported as a favorite to acquire the selection. Even recently, ESPN reported the Titans were still open to offers, despite increased interest in Ward, the Miami prospect. And that's probably true; why wouldn't a rebuilding franchise entertain an expansion of its 2025 draft capital? No one else appears so enamored with Ward that they'd be willing to pay a premium to move up, however. And at the end of the day, the Titans still badly need a signal-caller of the future. Is Ward the best or most NFL-ready player in the draft? Perhaps not, but his upside as a gifted gunslinger may necessitate his landing in Nashville. Verdict: Buying Indianapolis partially showed its hand as it pertains to 2023 first-rounder Anthony Richardson during the 2024 season, when the Colts took the talented but erratic prospect in and out of the starting lineup. Richardson isn't entirely to blame for his early career struggles, but coach Shane Steichen all but declared the Florida product unprepared after his initial benching. Cue this offseason, when the team paid a surprisingly steep price for former New York Giants castoff Daniel Jones. Money talks, and Jones' $14 million contract puts him well above standard backups. We'd expect Richardson to have the edge as the incumbent when on-field work begins, but no jobs will be promised this time around. Verdict: Selling Pittsburgh was uncharacteristically proactive at quarterback in the 2024 offseason, jettisoning Kenny Pickett and double-dipping with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as a hopeful antidote to the post-Ben Roethlisberger blues. This year, the Steelers have gone the other direction, letting both Fields and Wilson walk while prioritizing ... a Mason Rudolph reunion? Aaron Rodgers is still their likeliest proven option for 2025. The fact it hasn't happened yet means Steel City could really enter 2025 with Rudolph as the placeholder, barring a surprise draft-day splash and/or sensational summer by a rookie gamble. Maybe it'll all turn out fine, but their operation has felt much more accidentally haphazard than deliberately patient. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. Colorado and Syracuse won't scrimmage together this spring, after all. Despite the pitch from Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders and the quick social media acceptance from Orange coach Fran Brown, the two sides were denied a waiver for a joint spring game, the Division I FBS oversight committee announced Friday. Denying a joint scrimmage is a blow to spring football, which has otherwise become nerfed in importance nationally as major schools cancel their games with coaches hoping to make it through spring without a major injuries and transfer defections. The NCAA's explanation mostly focused on timing. Most schools already planned their spring practice schedule and didn't have the opportunity to match Colorado. The Buffaloes would have a competitive advantage in recruiting for their spring game that other schools would lack. The NCAA also brought up academic concerns, which is important but always funny reasoning in the 2025 revenue sharing and NIL landscape. Those are all workable roadblocks into the future, and the oversight committee said as much in a memo obtained by The Athletic. "The committee agreed to discuss, during a future meeting, a concept that could permit joint practices." There seems to be growing support for the idea. Houston coach Willie Fritz told CBS Sports earlier this spring that he's tried to get the idea implemented "for years" to compete against other teams in spring ball. "You've got a 50% less chance of guys getting injured," Fritz said. "I think it'd be something that's neat for the crowd to see. You could probably use to help your collective as well. I think it'd be awesome, good for both teams. One year they go to your place, the next year you go to the other place. I think it'd be something you'd get even more crowd support from." Within the last 10 days, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy suggested a Bedlam spring scrimmage against OKlahoma and Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire pitched a joint practice with regional opponents like Texas, Texas A&M or Oklahoma. Still, there are potential hurdles to the idea, even beyond the oversight committee's stated concerns in denying Colorado. Some coaches worry behind the scenes about exposing their players to further injury in a more competitive setting. Similar worries about potential transfer portal poachers remain, a concern Nebraska Matt Rhule cited in canceling his spring game. Another potential issue -- lawsuits. Joint spring scrimmages would assuredly be televised, money-making entities. Players are going to want their share of those profits. While spring practice participation is built into many NIL and revenue sharing contracts, adding what is essentially a 13th game to the schedule for players will assuredly lead to renegotiations, sit outs or even lawsuits in a sport where nothing is collectively bargained. Very little is simply implemented in this era of college sports. Joint spring practices won't be any different. Yet a shift in that direction feels more necessary than ever given how stale spring games have gotten across the country. We'll see if the NCAA and its conference partners can manage to make it work by this time next year. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. Prior to their eventual 8-5 win over the visiting Detroit Tigers in 10 innings on Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled and handed out their 2024 World Series rings. The Dodgers, you'll recall, prevailed in five games over the New York Yankees in last year's World Series and, in doing so, secured the eighth championship in franchise history. As for the ring, here's a look: It's all in the details. 😍 pic.twitter.com/FskW3IsNDG And here it is in "action": The World Series ring is here and it's perfect. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/EhgOmi8H08 As for the ring itself, it's made of 14-karat yellow gold, diamonds and sapphires. Jostens, the maker of the rings, goes into detail about the specific touches in a press release: "The ring top features the iconic LA logo crafted from 17 custom-cut sapphires and surrounded with 47 diamonds. Encircling the logo is a sunburst shape that represents the sunny climate of Los Angeles and features 34 sapphires. On the left and right sides of the ring top are 4 large round diamonds, symbolizing the 8 World Championship titles. An additional 20 diamonds are set along the sides. Adorning the top and bottom of the ring top is the Dodgers 2024 title, WORLD CHAMPIONS, set meticulously with 53 diamonds. "A row of 46 diamonds is set along the perimeter of the ring top. Completing the top and bottom edges of the ring are 8 princess-cut sapphires. An additional 108 diamonds cascade from the ring top down the edges of the ring, creating a border around the side panels. "Using a specialized hinge mechanism, the top of the ring opens to reveal added storytelling details. Upon opening, Dodger Stadium is displayed in incredible detail and features the Commissioner's Trophy with 1 diamond, commemorating the 2024 World Series victory. Above, 8 diamonds celebrate the 8 World Championships in Dodgers history. The years 1883 and 2024 are featured, paying tribute to 142 seasons. The left side of the ring top interior features a piece from the bases used in the World Series with the Dodgers City Connect logo in gold. Encircling the base are 34 sapphires honoring the late Dodgers pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela. "The left side of the ring features the recipient's name, symbolic of their contribution to the season. Below, a row of 14 princess-cut sapphires sit atop the iconic Dodger Stadium sign, displaying the player jersey number set in diamonds. Two palm trees make up the background, synonymous with Los Angeles. Completing the left side of the ring is the Major League Baseball logo. "The right side of the ring proudly displays the words LOS ANGELES, which pays homage to the home of the Dodgers since 1958. Below, a row of 14 princess-cut sapphires sit atop the championship year date, 2024, set with 29 diamonds. The Dodgers logo is situated among palm trees to complete the right side. "The interior of the ring features the LA logo between the championship year date. Below are the logos and series results of the opponents defeated by the Dodgers on their road to become World Series Champions. As a personal touch, players receive their unique signature on the interior palm of the ring. Completing the outer palm is a row of 5 diamonds, representing the 5 runs the Dodgers overcame to win the World Series, an MLB record." The row of five diamonds noted at the end, as implied, refers to the Dodgers' comeback in the decisive Game 5 in the Bronx. Down 5-0 early, the Dodgers in the fifth inning put five unearned runs on Yankees ace Gerrit Cole to tie it. The Yankees took the lead back in the sixth with a run of their own, but the Dodgers plated two in the eighth on a pair of sac flies to claim the lead for good. Right-hander Jack Flaherty started that game for the Dodgers, and he was indeed on hand for Friday's festivities at Dodger Stadium. However, he was there as the starting pitcher for the Tigers, with whom he signed a two-year free-agent contract this past offseason. The Dodgers acquired Flaherty at last year's trade deadline from Detroit, and he was a key presence for them down the stretch and in the postseason. While Flaherty did not participate in the ring ceremony -- he was warming up at the time -- he did receive his ring. With a superstar core still in place and an active winter behind them, the Dodgers are the consensus favorites to win the World Series again in 2025 and, thus, enjoy another round of championship rings. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. The salary cap being set higher than expected at $279.2 million created a favorable free agency climate for players. NFL teams extending the contracts of their own players have accounted for the biggest deals though. Structure is everything with NFL contracts. Unlike MLB and the NBA, fully guaranteed contracts are the exception, not the rule. Details on 20 noteworthy contracts from the early part of the NFL offseason are below. Average yearly salary and total compensation are the most common contract metrics but most insignificant because of the lack of security with NFL contracts. The overall contract guarantees, amount fully guaranteed at signing and the earliest realistic contract exit point for the team are also highlighted with each player. The deals are listed in order by average yearly salary. The Bills renegotiated the 2024 NFL MVP's contract although he had four years worth $154,554,595 remaining on the six-year, $258 million extension, averaging $43 million per year (worth a maximum of $288 million through incentives), he signed in 2021. It's extremely unusual for a team to essentially rip up a contract with four years left like the Bills did. The maximum value of the deal is worth $333 million because of a $500,000 annual incentive for winning the Super Bowl. The contract has an NFL-record $250 million of guarantees. The $147 million fully guaranteed at signing is the second most ever in an NFL contract. There are three different option bonuses in the contract that will collectively increase the bonus proration by $111.5 million. Allen was clearly focused on cash flow as opposed to maximizing the average yearly salary. His $220 million from 2025 through 2028 is the best four-year cash flow ever in an NFL contract. It surpassed the previous high of $219 million (2024 through 2027) in the four-year, $240 million extension Dak Prescott signed with the Dallas Cowboys last September that made him the NFL's first $60 million-per-year player. Being the reigning NFL MVP should have given Allen enough ammunition to not only become the cash-flow king but also the league's highest-paid player. Instead, Allen is tied for second in the NFL salary hierarchy at $55 million per year with Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers). Chase, who was scheduled to make a fully guaranteed $21.816 million in 2025 on his fifth-year option, became the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback at $40.25 million per year. It's a little misleading because $44.816 million is in 2029, the final year of Chase's extension. The maximum value is $162 million thanks to a $250,000 annual incentive in the new contract years (2026-2029) for each Super Bowl win with 65% or more offensive playtime in the game as well as 65% or more offensive playtime during the same regular season. The Bengals made an exception for Chase by giving traditional salary guarantees that have only been reserved for Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow on a veteran contract. Chase has $109.8 million guaranteed for injury. An additional $2.2 million can become fully guaranteed to make the total guarantee $112 million. The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year publicly requested a trade from the Browns in February during Super Bowl week because he wanted to play for a championship contender. The Browns were adamant about not trading him. Garrett was given an offer he couldn't refuse to stay in Cleveland. The perennial All-Pro edge rusher became the NFL's first $40 million-per-year non-quarterback. The $123,596,125 in overall guarantees and $88.8 million fully guaranteed at signing are records for non-quarterbacks. Hunter is the most recent beneficiary of the exploding edge rusher market. The Texans extended the two-year, $49 million contract (worth to $51 million through incentives) Hunter signed in 2024 free agency by one year for $35.6 million to keep him in the fold through the 2026 season. The Raiders got ahead of the market by making Crosby the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback at $35.5 million per year in early March. Thanks to an abundance of salary cap room, the Raiders increased Crosby's 2025 cap number by $10.164 million from $27,989,250 to $38,153,250 with the extension. A pay-as-you-go contract structure was used with Crosby. His cash and cap numbers are the same in each contract year because he is receiving salary guarantees instead of a signing bonus under this model. Deals with this structure have higher cap numbers, particularly in the early years, because of the absence of a signing bonus. Since there isn't any signing bonus proration, teams have more cap flexibility. A team won't have any dead money (a cap charge for a player no longer on the roster) if a player is released during the latter years of the deal once the guarantees have expired, provided that the contract hasn't been restructured. The Seattle Seahawks honored Metcalf's request for a trade by dealing him and a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Steelers for 2025 second-round and seventh-round picks. Metcalf, who was scheduled to make $18,000,471 in 2025, received a new contract in the process. The Steelers didn't start giving traditional salary guarantees in veteran contracts until 2021 when All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt become the league's highest-paid non-quarterback. Another exception was made in 2022 when Minkah Fitzpatrick's extension put him at the top of the safety salary hierarchy. A third exception was made with Metcalf. His first two contract years, 2025 and 2026, are fully guaranteed at signing. The final $20 million of the guarantee in 2027 is for injury only. The Seahawks pivoting to Darnold because of signability being an issue with Geno Smith led to Smith being traded to the Raiders for a 2025 third-round pick. If Smith had been willing to accept a Darnold-type deal, he would still be Seattle's quarterback. Darnold's contract is very similar to the three-year, $100 million contract, averaging $33,333,333 per year worth a maximum of $115 million through incentives, Baker Mayfield took last March to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Just like Mayfield, Darnold has $15 million of incentives. The Seahawks made an accommodation for Darnold that never happened with Russell Wilson in his two contract extensions that made him the NFL's highest-paid player in 2019 and second in the league's pay scale in 2015 by essentially fully guaranteeing money at signing in the second contract year. Darnold's $15 million fifth day of the 2026 league year roster bonus is guaranteed for injury at signing. The skill and salary cap guarantees kick in five days later. Typically, salary guarantees beyond the first contract year in Seattle deals become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the waiver period, which is five days after the Super Bowl, in each specific year. A long overdue massive reset of the cornerback market finally occurred with Stingley. He is the NFL's first $30 million-per-year defensive back. Stingley's $30 million per year is a 20% more than the $25 million-per-year extension Jaycee Horn signed with the Carolina Panthers several days earlier. Higgins was designated as a franchise player for a second straight year. His second franchise tag was for $26,179,200. Higgins was signed at the same time as Chase. The Bengals also deviated from their antiquated contract structure with Higgins where a signing bonus or roster bonus in the first contract year is the only true guaranteed money. Higgins became the league's highest-paid No. 2 wide receiver at $28.75 million ahead of Jaylen Waddle, who signed a three-year, $84.75 million contract extension with the Miami Dolphins, averaging $28.25 million per year, last May. Incentives make Higgins' deal worth as much as $121.8 million. The Patriots outbid the Panthers to sign Williams. For a deal of this magnitude, the $12 million injury guarantee in 2027 should have become fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2026 league year in the second contract year instead of the third day of the 2027 league year in the third contract year. That's how the $22 million salary guarantee in 2026 works for Nnamdi Madubuike's four-year, $98 million deal signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024 as a franchise player. Madubuike's $22 million became completely secure on the fifth day of the 2025 league year (March 16). Williams' deal contains $8.5 million in per-game roster bonuses, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in NFL contracts. With this type of bonus, an amount is only payable each time a player is on the gameday active roster. Williams has $2.55 million ($150,000 for each game active) in 2027 and 2028. The biggest I can recall before the Williams deal is former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick with $2 million annually ($125,000 per game) in his 2014 contract extension. Horn became the NFL's first $25 million-per-year defensive back. His reign at the top of the defensive back salary totem pole was short-lived. It was just a matter of days before Stingley became the league's first $30 million-per-year defensive back. The maximum value of Horn's extension is $108 million thanks to salary escalators. Godwin gave a hometown discount to remain with the Buccaneers. He turned down $30 million per year from the Patriots. Godwin can make as much as $72 million in the deal because of incentives. The Rams got older at wide receiver by signing a 32-year-old Adams to replace 31-year-old Cooper Kupp, who was released. Adams was available after the New York Jets released him because he was never going to play the 2025 and 2026 seasons under the $36.25 million he was scheduled to make in each of those years in the five-year, $140 million contract he signed in 2022. Adams has $2 million in incentives to make his deal worth up to $46 million. If Adams doesn't produce, he'll have a one-year deal for $20 million. His $6 million fifth day of the 2026 league year roster bonus, which was guaranteed for injury at signing and became fully guaranteed three days later, has an offset. The Eagles stunned the NFL world by extending the three-year, $37.75 million contract, averaging $12,583,333 per year (worth as much as $46.75 million through incentives and salary escalators) with $26 million in guarantees, of which $24.5 million was fully guaranteed at signing, Saquon Barkley received in 2024 free agency. The contract was set to expire after the 2026 season. Barkley became the NFL's first $20 million-per-year running back. There are $15 million of incentives and salary escalators in Barkley's contract. Out of the $15 million in performance bonuses, only $1.5 million were already in Barkley's old contract, so $13.5 million are new. A $20.5 million-per-year deal didn't seem fathomable for Moore when the 2024 regular season started. A dramatically improved Moore was slightly above average in 2024. Nonetheless, Moore's contract is considered one of the riskier signings in free agency. JC Latham, 2024's seventh overall pick, moves to right tackle, his position in college at Alabama. The Cowboys were planning on using a $25.133 million franchise tag on Odighizuwa if an agreement had not been reached before the March 4 designation deadline. It's a favorable deal for the Cowboys given this dynamic. To break even from playing 2025 under a franchise tag, Odighizuwa would have needed to sign a three-year, $54.867 million contract, averaging $18.289 million per year, in 2026 free agency. Aaron Banks becoming the NFL's fifth-highest-paid offensive guard on a multiyear contract wasn't anticipated prior to the start of free agency. The deal is frontloaded where Banks is getting 61.69% of his money in the first two years because the Packers have a longstanding policy against salary guarantees besides signing bonus in veteran contracts. The only exceptions have been quarterbacks Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers. The Eagles did something uncharacteristic in making a major investment in an off-ball linebacker. The only off-ball linebacker contract with a higher average yearly salary ever in free agency is the four-year, $72 million deal, averaging $18 million per year with $50 million in guarantees, where $41.8 million was fully guaranteed at signing, Tremaine Edmunds received from the Chicago Bears in 2023. Philadelphia's use of option bonuses and dummy/voiding years in Baun's contract to keep the cap numbers low in the first two years ($4.386 million in 2025 and $7.538 million in 2026) means it will be too cost prohibitive to release him at any time during the three years. The Eagles will be contending with $36.481 million of dead money to part ways with Baun in 2027. Moehrig got the top safety contract in free agency. The $3 million in annual incentives make the deal worth as much as $60 million. The Bears have made protecting 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams, who was sacked 68 times last season, the focal point of the offseason. Part of upgrading the offensive line was making Dalman the NFL's second-highest-paid center. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. The Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins with nine games left in the regular season. They fired him one day before they will host the Los Angeles Lakers, who have an identical record and, if the playoffs started today, would meet them in the first round. To some observers, this was a stunning decision. To others, the timing was the only odd thing about it. This is because both of the following are true: I found Memphis' new offensive system interesting enough to write a feature about it. Even now, its halfcourt offense efficiency is above average, which represents a significant improvement over the rest of the Jenkins era. Nonetheless, the Grizzles have reportedly fired not only Jenkins and assistant coach Patrick St. Andrews (who worked with Jenkins at two previous stops), but Noah LaRoche, the assistant coach who is one of the architects of the offense that was first implemented at Division III St. Joseph's College of Maine in 2018. (The other architect, then-St. Joe's head coach Rob Sanicola, is an assistant coach for the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies' G League affiliate.) Does interim coach Tuomas Lisalo, who used similar concepts in a more pick-and-roll-heavy system at Paris Basketball last season and Telekom Baskets Bonn before that, have a chance to stick around past this season? Can he guide them through the tough stretch of schedule that is directly in front of them? (After the Lakers visit Memphis, the Boston Celtics will be there on Monday, the Golden State Warriors the next night.) I am curious to find out. This late in the season, though, there is no perfect analog for the situation he's walking into. In recent NBA history, the closest comparison I can come up with is the Cleveland Cavaliers firing David Blatt and promoting Tyronn Lue in January of 2016. It was exactly halfway through the regular season, and the Cavs were 30-11, No. 1 in the Eastern Conference. They ranked third offensively, 10th defensively and, like these Grizzlies, fourth in point differential. In explaining the decision, then-Cleveland GM David Griffin told reporters that he was "measuring more than wins and losses." He said he couldn't accept the team's "lack of spirit and connectedness," and that he felt that it needed to "buy into a set of values and principles that we believe in." Even after wins, he said, he could sense that the Cavs' commitment was regressing. "I've done this for a long time, and I know what it's supposed to feel like," he said. Griffin was vindicated that June when Cleveland came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Warriors in the NBA Finals. For Memphis, that should not be the bar. That situation reminds me of this one, though, because the best way to explain it is that the team hasn't had the same spirit lately. Maybe the writing was on the wall for Jenkins when the team turned over most of its coaching staff, but I suspect he'd at least have had the opportunity to finish the season if the Grizzlies' collective vibes had been better on their recent road trip. They essentially fell apart in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers and the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder. During a timeout in their game against the Utah Jazz, a game they went on to win by 37 points, Desmond Bane shoved Santi Aldama on the sideline. Even more than usual, you can expect NBA coaches to rally around Jenkins in the coming days, pointing to his track record, the fact that Memphis isn't a superteam and the various setbacks Jenkins faced. (In addition to the Morant injury, Jaren Jackson Jr. missed five games earlier this month, and last week the Grizzlies lost Brandon Clarke to a season-ending knee injury.) I can already hear the outrage: If winning 60% of your games doesn't protect you, what does? This type of reaction is understandable. Sometimes, though, the decision to fire a coach is not strictly about wins and losses, and it's not about track record, either. Sometimes, the front office simply feels that something is off, that there is a disconnect, and that the current coach is not the guy to fix it. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. Nikola Jokić is one of the few NBA players who disregards his traditional shooting percentages in the name of launching end-of-quarter heaves pretty much any chance he gets. It's only right that he be rewarded now and again. So far this season Jokić has taken a league-high 20 heaves (almost double that of the next closest player, Mikal Bridges, who has taken 11), which are defined as coming from beyond half court. He's now made two of them, the second of which was a one-handed, one-footed 62-footer to close the first half against the Jazz on Friday that he made look laughably casual. NIKOLA JOKIĆ HOW DO YOU KEEP DOING THIS ⁉️ONE-HANDED FROM PAST HALFCOURT TO BEAT THE FIRST-HALF BUZZER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/uOMLN3maCV Look at the footwork on this angle. This is not a travel. This is a legit Euro step, with a gather, from the opposite free-throw line. THIS ANGLE ON JOKIC'S HEAVE😳😳😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/i09usrT22o This is circus stuff, man. And Jokić makes it look so easy. The first one he hit this season was from even farther away, and again was a one-handed flip. OH MY JOKIĆ JOKIĆ JOKIĆ 😱😱😱HITS A NONCHALANT HEAVE FROM 3/4 COURT!! pic.twitter.com/6nn3f6kU4c With these two shots, Jokić joins Stephen Curry, another enthusiastic heaver, as the only two players in NBA history to make two shots from at least 60 feet in the same season. What's more, the buzzer-beater on Friday gave Jokić 16,003 career points. That makes him the fastest player in NBA history (739 games) to reach 16,000 points, 8,000 rebounds and 5,000 assists. The previous fastest was Larry Bird, who reached those figures in 799 games. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. SPOKANE, Wash. -- Flau'jae Johnson had a rough outing during LSU's 80-73 Sweet 16 win against NC State, but despite shooting struggles and having to leave the court early because of an eye injury, she still made valuable contributions to her team. "I think that's just what a team is. Obviously, Flau'jae didn't have her best shooting night, but she was still an amazing leader," said Mikaylah Williams. "She still kept us together in the huddle. She told us what she saw on the sidelines. So even though she wasn't there presently on the court, she was still there in our ear, still supporting us, still backing us up, and having our back. "So I think that's just a testament to the type of person that she is and also the type of team that we have and the type of chemistry and the bond that we have." Johnson went just 1 of 8 from the field, but she did also have five rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block on the stat sheet. She went down after a collision in the fourth quarter and headed to the bench with a look of pain on her face. A few minutes later it seemed she was about to check in, but instead she went back to the bench and had her eye looked at again. "Can't you just tape my eye open?" she asked while being visibly frustrated. Flau'jae Johnson was getting ready to check back in but went back to the bench to get her eye checked again. pic.twitter.com/MShG3WZbzh After the game, Mulkey gave more details on what happened when Johnson was instructed to head back to the athletic trainer. She also said that as far as she is aware, Johnson should not be missing any games. "I just know I was getting ready to put her back in the game, and I turned around, and they said they won't let her go back in the game because she's seeing double, like double vision a little bit," Mulkey said. "... They haven't come up to me, you know, all worried or anything like that. So, yeah, I anticipate she will be good to go [for the Elite Eight]." Despite an off night, Johnson has been one of the top scorers for LSU alongside Williams and Aneesah Morrow all season. Each of them is averaging around 18 points per game. Morrow had a solid night with 30 points and 19 rebounds. She became the first player since Britney Griner in 2013 to reach those levels in an NCAA Tournament game. Griner was also coached by Mulkey at the time. The LSU Lady Tigers will face the UCLA Bruins, the top overall seed, on Sunday. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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A future Hall of Fame pitcher takes the mound to begin his 20th season when the visiting San Francisco Giants play the Cincinnati Reds in the second of a three-game series Saturday.,Justin Verlander enters the 2025 season with 262 career wins, three Cy Young awards, one MVP award and a one-year, $15... The St. Louis Blues are rolling at the right time but face a daunting task to keep their winning streak going.,St. Louis has won eight straight, but to get nine in a row it will have to beat a Colorado Avalanche squad that has not lost at home in more than two months. Colorado (45-25-3, 93 points) h... The first seven seasons of Seth Lugo's stint in the majors weren't all that memorable.,Then the San Diego Padres signed him as a free agent before the 2023 season and turned him into a starting pitcher. The Kansas City Royals signed him before last season and Lugo was runner-up for the American Leag... Emil Forsberg and the New York Red Bulls will look to continue their strong level of play when they visit the New England Revolution on Saturday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass.,The Red Bulls (2-1-2; 8 points) answered a season-opening loss by collecting at least a point in each of their last four mat... The Buffalo Sabres have been on a roll of late and will look to keep it going when they kick off a three-game road trip with a visit to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.,After losing six straight (0-5-1) from Feb. 27 to March 8, the Sabres (30-35-6, 66 points) have flipped the switch with a 6-3-0... The Sacramento Kings and host Orlando Magic find themselves in similar positions heading into Saturday's matchup, with both jockeying for positioning in the late-season play-in race.,Orlando (35-39) was unable to gain ground on Atlanta for seventh place in the Eastern Conference when the Magic's thr... Left-hander Jesus Luzardo makes his Phillies debut when Philadelphia visits the Washington Nationals on Saturday.,Luzardo, who went 3-6 with a 5.00 ERA in 12 starts last season with the Miami Marlins, was acquired in a December trade. The 27-year-old was originally drafted in 2016 by the Nationals a... Chicago White Sox catcher Korey Lee finds it refreshing to be on the plus side of .500 after one game, especially after the club endured a modern-day record 121 losses in 2024.,The White Sox aim for an actual winning streak as their season-opening series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels conti... Joe Ryan could make a big difference in the Minnesota Twins' starting rotation this season, provided he returns to form after recovering from a shoulder injury.,Ryan missed the last seven weeks of the 2024 season with the injury. The right-hander's comeback attempt will continue when he faces the ho... The UFC makes its seventh trip to Mexico with Saturday's card at Arena CDMX that features a flyweight fight between Brandon Moreno and Steve Erceg.,Moreno, 31, is coming off a win over Amir Albazi in November, but the two-time former flyweight champ is 0-2-1 in three previous UFC fights in his home ... When it comes to getting into playoff position, the New York Islanders have done themselves no favors over their past three games and could be heading to Florida at the wrong time. ,Riding a three-game home losing streak (0-1-2), the Islanders will face a scorching Tampa Bay Lightning squad in an af... Max Fried was the big starting pitching acquisition for the New York Yankees. For the Milwaukee Brewers, it was Nestor Cortes, who spent five seasons in Yankee pinstripes.,The left-handers will oppose each other Saturday afternoon when Fried makes his debut for the Yankees and Cortes his for the Bre... Brad Marchand is expected to make his debut for the Florida Panthers on Friday night when his new team hosts the Utah Hockey Club in Sunrise, Fla.,"We'll get him through warmups and see," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said on Friday morning, "but he's healed past that. We expect him to play.",Marchand... Looking to find consistency early in the season, Atlanta United will host New York City FC in Eastern Conference play on Saturday night.,Atlanta (1-2-2, 5 points) enters the match on a four-game winless streak after its season-opening 3-2 victory over CF Montreal. Since then, Atlanta has two losses ... The task for Charlotte FC is to keep building what already has been a noteworthy opening stretch of the season.,Charlotte will visit the Colorado Rapids for Saturday's match at Commerce City, Colo.,"This is the scary thing with this team," Charlotte midfielder Ashley Westwood said. "There's so much ... The Vancouver Whitecaps will look to get back on the winning track Saturday afternoon when they visit a Toronto FC side still searching for its first victory.,The Whitecaps (4-1-0, 12 points) saw their perfect start to the regular season halted in last Saturday's 3-1 defeat to the Chicago Fire, a ga... Already with three victories this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be out for more success Friday night against the visiting Detroit Tigers as they start their way toward National League history., ,The Dodgers are aiming for their 15th consecutive winning season in 2025 in an accomplishment that... After a winter of uncertainty, Jorge Polanco had an Opening Day to remember.,Polanco went 3-for-3 with a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Athletics 4-2 on Thursday.,The teams are scheduled to continue their four-game series Friday night, w... If Opening Day is any indication, expect San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. to do a lot more stealing in 2025.,Tatis went 3-for-4 and swiped two bases Thursday in San Diego's come-from-behind 7-4 win over the visiting Atlanta Braves. He took advantage of the slow delivery of Chris Sal... The Denver Nuggets are in a tight battle for the second seed in the Western Conference in part because they haven't beaten teams they should have defeated.,Two losses to the lowly Washington Wizards, two to the Portland Trail Blazers, and they escaped a depleted Milwaukee Bucks team on Wednesday nig... Copyright 2025
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. Though the late spring and summer months are a virtual wasteland for college football news, this is the exact time that the annual recruiting cycle starts to heat up. December's early signing period has sped the entire process up by placing more emphasis on building early relationships with recruits. Fall visits are still valuable, but summer is often where the difference is made. The next handful of months will be heavy on visits before an onslaught of commitments in late-June and July. The top of the 2026 recruiting rankings are sure to shift fast and furiously when the commitment dominos begin to drop, but recently they've bee stable enough to allow a deep dive into the current top 10 classes before they change too much. Let's evaluate whether the schools off to quick starts are here to stay at the top of the class by the time national signing day rolls around. Total commits: 16 (10 Top247 prospects) Everyone who follows recruiting probably has USC's 2025 class in the back of their mind when evaluating the current recruiting cycle. The Trojans got off to a blazing-hot start last year, reeling in blue-chip prospects from around the country while gradually climbing the rankings to the upper echelon. Then things unraveled late in the summer, and as the early signing period approached, the Trojans lost four five-star commits. Two of those -- defensive lineman Justus Terry and edge rusher Isaiah Gibson -- were from the state of Georgia. In total, USC had nine four or five-star prospects from the southeastern United States decommit from its 2025 class. So there's likely some surface hesitancy when evaluating USC's staying power in 2026. This time around, though, the Trojans have focused on placing a fence around Southern California. Four of their six highest-rated commits play in and around Los Angeles. USC will have to work to retain five-star athlete Xavier Griffin, who stars at Gainesville (Georgia) High School, but the emphasis on California should give this top class the gas it needs to finish top-10, at the very least. Especially since it could get even better. "Their new general manager, Chad Bowden, has come out and said he thinks this 2026 crop is probably the best crop of Southern California players in the last two decades," 247Sports national scouting analyst Greg Biggins said. "I haven't researched that exact claim myself, but I do think this is probably one of the better years for talent in Southern California in a while." Verdict: Buy Total commits: 12 (4 Top247 prospects) Reports of Clemson's demise were greatly exaggerated. Clemson has taken the momentum it built from its second ACC title in three seasons and its first College Football Playoff appearance since 2020 and parlayed into a strong spring on the recruiting trail. All four of the top-ranked prospects in Clemson's 2026 class committed in the month of March. The Tigers are doing well in Florida, a key state within their umbrella, and always have an extremely talented crop of prospects to dip into in the nearby battleground state of North Carolina. Fans point to a dip in quarterback recruiting since signing No. 2 QB prospect Cade Klubnik in 2022 as a foreboding sign for the future, though. With Klubnik entering his final last season, Clemson is an early favorite to repeat as ACC champs and make it back to the playoff. With those expectations, it should be able to maintain a strong start to its talent acquisition efforts. Verdict: Buy Total commits: 9 (7 Top247 prospects) This one is about as cut and dry as it gets. The Tigers have had just one class finish outside of the top-10 since 2018. They've always had a strong presence in the recruiting sphere, and their efforts have only been boosted by a big investment into name, image and likeness efforts. LSU is ideally located in Louisiana, which perennially pumps out some of the top athletes in America. In fact, all nine of LSU's commits in the 2026 class either hail from Louisiana or from a state that borders Louisiana. That includes Hattiesburg, Mississippi's Tristen Keys, the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 4 prospect nationally. Verdict: Buy Total commits: 9 (6 Top247 prospects) Recruiting has never really been the issue for Texas A&M. The only time the Aggies have dipped outside of the top-10 in recent years was from 2023-24, the tumultuous final years of the Jimbo Fisher era. Even first-year coach Mike Elko was able to sign the No. 9 class in 2025. Texas A&M is right back in the thick of it a year later thanks in large part to the program's national reach. The Aggies currently have three four stars committed from California and one each from New Jersey and Utah. There's still a wide talent base in Texas to tap. Verdict: Buy Total commits: 13 (2 Top247 prospects) Let's get this out of the way: Kansas is not going to finish in the top 10. But top 25 is certainly on the table, and that would be huge for the Jayhawks. Their current class is buoyed by a solid in-state crop, including a pair of four-star commits in athlete JJ Dunigan and offensive tackle Kaden Snyder. Those high-profile early pledges have given Lance Leipold and his staff some early momentum in-state and in surrounding areas like Oklahoma and Iowa. "This is probably one of the better years for in-state talent in Kansas," Biggins said. "They're building a new facility and a new stadium. I think there's like a new energy there with Kansas. Do I think they're going to finish in the top 10? No, but I do think they have a chance to have their best class in a long time." Verdict: Sell Total commits: 8 (5 Top247 prospects) Oregon is not only a lock to finish in the top-10, but it's also got No. 1 upside. Few schools have recruited as well as the Ducks under coach Dan Lanning, who led Oregon to a Big Ten title in its first year with the conference and a first-round bye as the top overall seed in the College Football Playoff in the first year of the 12-team format. Oregon already has three top-50 prospects committed, each from a different state, and is right in the top group for many more. Sure, the Phil Knight money is a big boon, but the energy from Lanning and his staff makes the real difference. "As a staff, they probably recruit harder than anybody else," Biggins said. "It starts with Lanning at the top and then all their assistants, they out-recruit everybody. They don't just have one coach assigned to an area. They'll have like two or three coaches recruiting each top kid, so the kid is hearing from the head coach, his position coach, his area recruiter plus maybe a coordinator." Verdict: Buy Total commits: 12 (0 Top247 prospects) Like Kansas, Louisville's lofty ranking is largely due to the volume of prospects already in its class. Not that the Cardinals lack in quality. They've done a great job in-state thus far, where they hold commitments from four of the top-10 prospects in Kentucky. Coach Jeff Brohm's deep ties are paying off in that regard. Though it's hard to see Louisville ranking anywhere near this high come national signing day, the Cardinals do have plenty of recruiting upside in the modern era. "[Recruits] who visit campus talk about these big Fortune 500-type companies that are all really invested in Louisville," Biggins said. "Not just basketball but football now, too. The facilities are there. Everything is kind of set up. If they continue to win games, they should be strong." Verdict: Sell Total commits: 9 (5 Top247 prospects) Despite its modern success under coach James Franklin, Penn State has not had a top-10 recruiting finish since 2022 -- the class that gave it stalwarts like Drew Allar, Nick Singleton and Abdul Carter. That should change this cycle, fresh off Penn State's College Football Playoff debut. The Nittany Lions are placing their recruiting emphasis on Pennsylvania itself and branching out from there. Four of the top-10 prospects in Pennsylvania have committed to Penn State, and the Nittany Lions are viewed as the favorite for top-rated in-state product Joey O'Brien. Penn State also has Daniel Jennings, the No. 1 player in West Virginia, in its crop of 2026 recruits. "I think Pennsylvania is a lowkey really strong state to start your pipeline," Biggins said. "Penn State does well locally, for starters. The national reach and brand are strong, it's a high-energy staff that recruits well and they've been winning on the fifield -- it's kind of a perfect recipe for why Penn State should always be top-10, top-15." Verdict: Buy Total commits: 8 (2 Top247 prospects) Tennessee takes a slow-burn approach to recruiting. The Vols rarely pressure a recruit into making an early commitment, which means that a lot of their movement comes late in the summer and into the fall, when prospects can take official visits to watch a game. So it's a good sign that Tennessee, which is a traditional recruiting power, is off to such a good start. Reeling in quarterback Faizon Brandon, the No. 1 prospect nationally, so early is huge, since he's the type of guy that other players want to be around. Having such a prolific magnet should pay dividends when Tennessee starts its process of pushing. Verdict: Buy Total commits: 10 (1 Top247 prospects) Illinois has built itself into a legitimate Big Ten contender under coach Bret Bielema, who has a proven track record of player development -- especially on the defensive side of the ball. So, though recruiting does matter, Bielema does a great job with whatever talent he is able to amass, and he and his staff have done a good job of riding their breakout 10-win season into a fast start in recruiting. The Illini have already landed Ohio cornerback Victor Singleton, the No. 5 cornerback and No. 57 prospect nationally in the 2026 class, and a firm core of Illinois-based athletes. Verdict: Sell © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. INDIANAPOLIS -- With less than five minutes to go Friday night in the Sweet 16, Zakai Zeigler did something no other Tennessee player had dared attempt all season against this opponent. Tennessee's masterful guard pointed to the scoreboard. You see, in the previous two meetings against Kentucky, the Vols had never led by more than three at any point. That failing contributed to a greater failure — losing twice to the Wildcats this season. In the house that Manning built, Lucas Oil Stadium, from the seat Peyton Manning actually sat in near the Tennessee bench, the view was pretty good this time for the Vols. When Zeigler pointed upward, it might have been the official seal on the 78-65 triumph that was, in order: Just don't ask the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year to remember the moment when he called his shot. Sort of. "For real?" Zeigler said when told where he had pointed. Yeah, for really real. Whether the 5-foot-9 heart and soul of the Vols wants to admit it, that was his moment, a rubber stamp on a return to his game. This is also the Vols' moment. The win thrust coach Rick Barnes to within a game of his second career Final Four and first in 22 years since taking Texas there in 2003. But shedding Kentucky from its psyche, and off its back, is what meant most to the Vols, who won their 30th game for the second time under Barnes. "We knew what it was coming down to," Zeigler said. "They were trying to get in our head. It's basketball. Emotions of the game got the best of us." Less than 15 minutes into the game, the Vols led by 15. The margin grew to 19. Any doubt about the result had pretty much been milked out of the giant stadium at halftime. Who cares if Manning was booed by Big Blue Nation when he was shown on the scoreboard? The Vols had the scoreboard. Zeigler just needed to make it official. He did it with his second double-double of the tournament and 13th of his career – 18 points and 10 rebounds. Zeigler also set the SEC single-season assist record with his first helper of the game. He broke the previous record set by Ole Miss' Sean Tuohy in 1979-80. That's right, the real-life dad in "The Blind Side," which also describes the angle from which Tennessee launched itself at Kentucky. "We were the aggressor," Zeigler said. "We swung, and we kept on swinging." The ponytailed native of Long Island, N.Y., now is in rare air. Only three other players all-time have averaged 15 points, nine assists and two steals through the first three games of the tournament. Markquis Nowell, Kansas State, 2023 Sam Crawford, New Mexico State, 1992 Billy Donovan, Providence, 1987 Barnes once mercilessly rode his point guards. Ask the talented guys he had at Texas — T.J. Ford, Daniel Gibson or DJ Augustin. Barnes has mellowed in Knoxville. But we know Zeigler's been through the Rick Barnes Point Guard Bootcamp. No chance the former three-star recruit, with offers from the likes of Minneosta, Boston College and Wichita State, could have become this good otherwise. The Kentucky losses had to bother Barnes, especially because his guards had played so badly against Kentucky. Zeigler and Chaz Lanier had combined to shoot four of 30 from the arc in the first two meetings. Zeigler was 1-for-13 in those games. This time the Vols defended the Wildcats on the three-point line and outrebounded Kentucky 34-24. The result marked the largest point differential for Tennessee against Kentucky since 2019. It tied for Kentucky's lowest point total of the season. It's hard to beat a team three times in a season. It's even harder when it's personal. "This is what happens when you're going hard for 40 minutes," said Lanier, speaking through a bloody lower lip. "It's tough out there. This is what comes with it. This is the fun part." The SEC was assured of a spot in the Elite Eight before the game tipped. It was just a case of which program's longing would end. Kentucky hasn't been to a Final Four in, well, forever – which translates to 2015. Tennessee hadn't been to one – ever. "It would mean everything," said Zeigler, already dreaming of a Final Four berth. "It would mean everything for Vol Nation." Taking the next step has stuck with Zeigler since being eliminated by Purdue last year in the regional final. "Once the game ended, I think I went home and I watched that game 20 or 30 times," he said. "I remember some plays we might have looked lazy on … I looked tired. Watching that game last year as many times as I did definitely hurt." Zeigler made sure everyone knew Tennessee was in control after a slight dust-up between the two sides underneath the Kentucky basket with 4:43 left. After officials separated the players, calling Flagrant II fouls on each team, Zeigler came out of the scrum pointing up at the scoreboard. The only thing missing was the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year uttering, "It's over." Except that would have been redundant. The game had long ago been decided thanks to Zeigler, who got his inspiration watching 6-foot Kemba Walker, also a product of the Empire State, lead UConn to the 2011 championship. Zeigler is now considered among the best point guards in Tennessee history. When his family lost their house to a fire in February 2022, Vols fans raised enough money for them to move to Knoxville and buy a new house. "They left their mark on me as much as I left mine on them," Zeigler told the Knoxville News Sentinel. There are more marks to be made by Tennessee. Kentucky was a nuisance that had to be removed. It wasn't just a thorn in Tennessee's paw, but this time a season-on-the-line blockade. Those first two meetings were monumental disappointments for Tennessee. But this time, well, it counted. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. CM Punk will close out a WrestleMania night for the first time after nearly three decades as a professional wrestler. Punk, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins signed their contract to headline WrestleMania 41 Night 1 on Friday's WWE SmackDown. Punk offered Reigns his aid at Survivor Series: WarGames in exchange for a favor from Paul Heyman. On Friday, Heyman granted Punk that favor, or so it seemed. Punk departed WWE in 2014 over many grievances, including being pushed out of the WrestleMania main event picture. Eleven years later, his close friend Heyman leveraged his cache to grant Punk that wish. The blue brand had a big week all around. The United States and WWE Tag Team championships were defended, a new WWE Hall of Fame wing was announced and Rey Fenix's WWE debut is officially set for next week. CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from the O2 Arena in London. SmackDown closed with a contract signing between WrestleMania Saturday's headliners. Rollins tried to ally with Reigns by reflecting on their time together in The Shield. Reigns told Rollins, "We died a long time ago." Reigns said he had done the lion's share of making WWE successful since they split. Rollins, fed up, told Reigns his hubris had allowed Punk to weasel his way into a major position. "Cult of Personality" blared through the arena. Reigns and Rollins signed the contract immediately. Punk, however, took his time flipping through the pages. Reigns chastized Punk for wasting their time. That's when Heyman spoke up to set Punk's mind at ease. "I know what you're looking for, it's in there," Heyman, choking up, told his former client. "You're closing the show at WrestleMania. You get to live your dream of all dreams. CM Punk, you are a WrestleMania main eventer!" Punk and Heyman were legitimately brought to tears as the latter informed the former that he'd headline WrestleMania Night 1. Reigns celebrated the paycheck, while Rollins threw a tantrum over Punk's happiness. While it appeared that Heyman granted Punk the favor owed, Punk closed the show by announcing that it wasn't the favor promised. This was tame as far as contract signings go. Another brawl would have been redundant after last week. Punk and Heyman's genuine emotion was infinitely better. Punk first signed with WWE in 2005. Twenty years later, he's ticking off one of his most important bucket list items. Rollins' outrage and Reigns' ego worked well in this context. The cherry on top was Punk revealing that he was still owed a favor, adding intrigue to the story. Grade: A © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. New Mexico lost its leading scorer to a major conference team for a second consecutive season on Friday as Lobos guard Donovan Dent announced his commitment to the UCLA Bruins just days after entering the transfer portal. Dent, the Mountain West Player of the Year, is the second Lobos star to leave the team in as many years after winning Player of the Year honors in the league, joining current Texas Tech star JT Toppin. Dent, a Corona, California, product, returns to his home state of California as one of the crown jewels of a loaded portal class. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 2 player in the portal and a five-star transfer, developing from his four-star pedigree in 2022 in which he was only lightly recruited. Dent scored 21 points and dished out six assists in New Mexico's win over Marquette in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Lobos lost to Michigan State in the Round of 32, setting off an exodus that includes coach Richard Pitino, who left for Marquette. Dent was the first New Mexico player to win conference POY since 2012-13 and was the only player in Division-I averaging 20-plus points (20.4) and five-plus assists per game (6.4). Here's what the Bruins are getting in Dent, via an evaluation from 247Sports Director of Scouting, Adam Finkelstein: Dent has extreme burst and speed with the ball in his hands. He can create tempo going north to south and was the engine that fueled the 7th fastest team in country last season. He also gets paint touches in a half-court game. He can blow right by most defenders with straight line drives, is a constant threat to turn the corner in a ball-screen, and can navigate traffic with his tight handle. While he's not especially big or long, he still finishes at a steady 55% clip at the rim. Dent has made great strides with his shooting and while he's selective with his attempts now, he shot 54% on unguarded catch and shoot threes last year. He's also a very good passer, specifically connecting with his roll man off ball screens, but was somewhat turnover prone last season. Defensively, he's quick and feisty, but can be undersized in certain matchups. Dent averaged a career-high 20.4 points per game as a junior this season with New Mexico and added 6.4 assists per game, which ranked first and second among all Mountain West players, respectively. Dent's commitment gives UCLA the No. 2 transfer portal class behind fellow Big Ten foe Iowa, which has two commitments — including one from 5-star guard Bennett Stirtz. Join Bruin Report Online, the No. 1 independent source for UCLA sports and recruiting, and take advantage of its limited-time 50% off offer. Stay informed with exclusive insider access to all the latest on the NCAA Tournament, the basketball and football transfer portals, and spring football practice. For just $1, experience unparalleled coverage and expert analysis. No promo code needed — simply click here to claim this offer. This deal ends Thursday, April 24th at 9 p.m. PT! © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. Juan Soto launched his first home run as a member of the New York Mets on Friday night, hitting a solo shot off Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown in the third inning to open up a 3-0 lead (GameTracker). Soto's blast, which came off a 1-2 fastball from Brown, had a 107.3 mph exit velocity and carried some 390 feet, according to Statcast. It would've been a home run in all 30 parks based on its innate properties, like its exit velocity, launch angle, and distance. Here's a look at the home run in question in all its motion picture glory: LAUNCHED. pic.twitter.com/6U20dpuazW The Mets had this kind of thing in mind when they signed Soto to the richest contract in the sport's history over the winter -- a 15-year pact worth $765 million. Soto, only 26, entered the night with a career .285/.421/.532 slash line (160 OPS+) with 201 home runs and an estimated 36.4 Wins Above Replacement, per the calculations housed at Baseball Reference. Those marks put him on pace to enjoy a Hall of Fame career. Soto had previously recorded his first hit with the Mets on Opening Day, rapping a single back up the middle in what doubled as his first trip to the plate of the year. He also recorded the final out of the game, going down on strikes against Astros closer Josh Hader. After the contest, Soto expressed his disappointment with the outcome, telling reporters: "I was expecting to win the game. It's not how we wanted it." The Mets, by the way, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Friday. Mark Vientos opened the scoring with a double that plated Brandon Nimmo. Vientos then scored himself on a Jesse Winker single, and Soto followed that up with his blast in the third. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. NEWARK, N.J. — What spectacle this city took in Thursday night, a pair of regional-semifinal rarities that boosted the wow-factor of a 2025 bracket owned by the big boys. In absence of Cinderella, give us the scintillating. In the early tip, Alabama put on one of the best offensive outputs this glorious NCAA Tournament has ever staged, with 25 3-pointers on 51 attempts and 113 points against BYU. The singed nets took on even more heat in the nightcap: Duke vs. Arizona. Cooper Flagg and Caleb Love. The matchup meant either Flagg (a freshman) or Love (a fifth-year senior) would walk off the floor for the final time as a college player. The one thing we ever really want from this tournament is for players and teams to meet the moment. Flagg and Love did precisely that inside the Prudential Center, combining for 65 points on 50% shooting (20 for 40 from the field) and 50% from 3 (8 for 16) to give us one of the best two-player performances on opposite sides of an NCAA Tournament game — ever. No. 1 seed Duke shot its way past Arizona, a 4-seed, with a rollicking 100-93 victory. Flagg and his teammates get to play for the Final Four on Saturday night against Alabama. Taking the stage and circumstances heavily into account, Flagg had the best game of his career: 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds, three blocks. The 18-year-old is a mortal lock to be the No. 1 pick in June's NBA Draft; the litany of reasons for why that's true were on display dozens of times Thursday night. Flagg's the most well-rounded player in college basketball, and every single facet of his game saw opportunity to emerge against Arizona. The questions about his shooting prowess from November and December have dissipated entirely; he sank three 3s on five attempts and had nine field goals in nine variations of scoring form. Perhaps Flagg's biggest shot was a hurry-hurry 3 from NBA range he hoisted just before the first-half horn sounded. It cashed, turning what was nearly a tie game 10 seconds prior into a six-point Duke advantage (48-42) going into the break. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd told me afterward this sequence was critical to the final outcome. COOPER FLAGG BEATS THE BUZZER! pic.twitter.com/kxE4MCd9Uq "We couldn't solve the puzzle," Lloyd told CBS Sports. "We couldn't keep him in front of us. That's the thing. I don't think people realize how shifty he is with the ball, and he just kept getting downhill over and over again." The freshman phenom pushed Duke to its first 100-point game in the tournament since 1993. Scan the archives and it's statistically obvious: Flagg's Thursday night in Jersey was the best game by any freshman in the history of the NCAA Tournament. No first-year player had ever scored at least 30 points, had at least five rebounds, five assists and three blocks on a March Madness stage. The last player, period, to do that in this event was Marquette's Dwyane Wade in 2003 vs. Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Flagg is riveting because his basketball game is so advanced, yet he's incapable of properly explaining how good he is at 18 years old. When asked to lay out how he put on one of the best NCAA Tournament performances ever, Flagg quickly quipped: "Just playing with really good energy, trusting our game plan, trusting my teammates. They put me in some really good spots tonight. Coach, as well, put me in some really good spots. I think just making the right play and just letting the game happen." The national player of the year race has been compelling for most of this season, but Flagg's found separation vs. Auburn's Johni Broome in the past two weeks. Thursday night was a propulsion to the inevitable. Cooper Flagg tonight for @DukeMBB:30 points7 assists6 rebounds3 blocks3 threes madeNo other Division I player this century has reached all of those numbers in any regulation game (NCAA Tournament or otherwise). pic.twitter.com/4DMFKtmzwW On the other side, Love's final college game, the 174th of his ever-fascinating career, wound up with him showing his best against the most apropos of all opponents. The guy who ended Mike Krzyzewski's career in the 2022 Final Four ended his college journey on his terms, albeit in a loss in his 11th and final face-off against Duke. He not only had a 35-point night — an Arizona tournament record — but also committed zero turnovers against a No. 1 seed. He became the second player to ever get multiple 20-point game vs. Duke in the NCAA Tournament (joining UNLV's Anderson Hunt in 1990 and 1991). He tied Maryland's Juan Dixon with 178 career points vs. the Blue Devils, most ever. "I think it's only right," Duke coach Jon Scheyer told CBS Sports. "We knew it was going to be him at his best in this game." Given the history between Love and Duke, Scheyer told me the game plan was to make Love a volume shooter and run him off the 3-point line. Scheyer added that he was dialed into the game, in the moment, but it'd be impossible to not have at least a faint flashback to that New Orleans night in April of 2022. "I've coached against him enough where I know what he's capable of. Obviously that's in the back of your mind in playing against him," Scheyer said. "Caleb was at the highest level tonight. We tried to make as difficult as we could, but some of the shots he hit, man, there's not much more you can do about it." When Duke traveled to Tucson this past November to face Arizona, Love had a bad game: eight points on 13 shots in a 69-55 home loss. The Sweet 16 gave him an unexpected/proper chance at person redemption, and he seized it. Even with Duke's lead growing to 19 with 13:11 remaining, Love didn't wilt. He scored 21 of his 35 points after the break, including a barrage of 3s that chipped away at Duke's lead. The Wildcats got the gap as close as 91-86 with less than two minutes to go, but there wasn't enough ground to make up. Duke is too good. Short of a win here, Love got the love he deserved afterward. His teammates at the podium all praised him and his leadership. "He really took all of us under his wing. He's a leader. He's been through so much and taught us all so much," guard Jaden Bradley said. "If anybody ever thinks he's not a good teammate, it's not true," forward Henri Veesaar said. "He's the best teammate we had. He's one of the better persons I've ever met. He's pushed me so much over the last two years, I'm so grateful for him." This is a guy who was nudged out of North Carolina. Look at where the Tar Heels find themselves right now. Their issues extended far beyond Love's alchemy in that locker room in his final season there, in 2022-23. How fulfilling it must be to sit at a podium and hear your teammates and coaches talk about you like this, especially after a loss, the final one of your college life. In the locker room afterward, Love reflected on a career filled with just as much glory as criticism. "Most importantly, I grew as a person off the court [at Arizona]," Love told CBS Sports. "A lot of it was a lot of preconceived notions about me leaving my other school. Coach Lloyd, my teammates, they all accepted me for who I was as a person, first and foremost." Love has gone through a beguiling five years. His shot to beat Duke in 2022 will live on in Carolina history, but he wasn't successful — or beloved — enough to begin and end his college career as a Tar Heel. At Arizona, he found peace and a new path. He needed it. His final months at UNC bothered him immensely. He heard all of the disdain. He agonized in private. "I love that dude," Lloyd said of Love."It was an honor to be associated with him. Never had a bad interaction with him, never had a bad body language, never had a bad attitude. It's just reassuring, because I got to know the true essence of Caleb Love. ... He's a 100th percentile. What he's went through in his young life is it's going to create so many advantages for him, because he's come out of it on the other side." Love told me everything he heard. It hurt. "I was a bad teammate. I was a bad person, this, this and this. It was all false," Love said. "I feel like I showed that coming to Arizona. ... We all have life issues that people may not know about it, we may not talk about, and that's something that I I took pride in, because that's what I was going through. I was going through a lot off the court, and I wanted somebody there to help me. My teammates were there for me, and I was there for them." For as freaky-good as Flagg has been all season, it was fitting to see him counterbalanced by a player five years his senior, who's been through almost all of it at two of the biggest programs in the sport. It would have felt wrong (cursed, even) for Arizona to get blown out by Duke and Love to fall flat in his college finale. Fortunately, the fates found reason to give us the goods and provide Love with a moment he deserved. I asked him at his locker what it was like to do this in a game against Flagg. To little surprise, Love told me he was as good as any player he's faced. "He can do pretty much everything on the court," Love said. "He impacts the game in so many different ways. He can take you to the cup. He can pass. He can create for his teammates. He can block shots, rebound, put it on your head. ... He's getting the hype for a reason, so much respect to him. He has a bright future ahead, and I'm sure I'll see him up there in the league." Love's journey could go any number of directions; maybe one day these two will find each other sharing space on an NBA floor. That would be pretty cool. Whether or not it happens, at least we have this. At least we got the best of Caleb Love on the same night we got the best of Cooper Flagg. One guy earned it, the other sure as hell deserved it. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is entering his second season and now has a veteran star wide receiver on his offense. The team added four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs this offseason and while he is coming off an ACL injury, he will likely bring a spark that the team's offense has lacked in the last few years. Diggs had his first press conference with the media on Friday and made a comparison between his new QB and a MVP QB he's played with in the past. "I'm excited," Diggs said. "I really look forward to it. It's crazy because when you ask around, he has a lot of similarities, people say through the grapevine, he acts a lot like [Buffalo Bills quarterback] Josh [Allen]. That was my guy, so I look forward to meeting and connecting with him." Diggs was with the Bills from 2020 to 2023, before Buffalo traded him to the Houston Texans. After one year of C.J. Stroud throwing passes to him, he now joins another young quarterback who has shown a lot of hope for his NFL future. When Diggs joined the Bills, Allen was in his third year in the league. Diggs finds himself in a similar situation entering the 2025 season, with the ability to help boost the potential for a first round passer. Diggs began his career with the Minnesota Vikings, where he played from 2015 to 2019, working with quarterback Kirk Cousins for two of those seasons. Joining his fourth team in his decade long career, Diggs has worked with his fare share of quarterbacks and knows the importance of creating a personal relationship with the offensive leader. "Seeing that I got the experience ... I've played with a lot of quarterbacks," Diggs said. "I've been around a lot of quarterbacks, so learning the quarterback, getting to know him, spending more time with him. Once you know somebody on a more personal level, I feel like it's a lot of carry-over to the field, whether they're risk-takers or like to play aggressive, like to play smart, and just honing in on what he's good at." The Patriots and Texans met in October of last season and Diggs noticed some traits about Maye that he appreciates in a QB. "We played him last year. He shows a lot of fight," the 31-year-old said. "He got that fiery quarterback, 'I want to win' mindset. That's something that I get excited about and love to be around. But, as far as his development as a quarterback, I feel like that's not really too much of my job. My job is to get up and catch the ball. I just look forward to getting back out there and being one of the weapons for him." Diggs put some Patriots fans at ease, saying he is ahead of schedule in terms of his injury recovery, saying he is "getting back on track." © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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If not listed, please contact your TV provider. The No. 1 seed Auburn Tigers and the No. 5 seed Michigan Wolverines square off in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday night. Auburn outlasted Creighton, 82-70, in the second round. Meanwhile, the Wolverines edged out the No. 4 seed Texas A&M Aggies, 91-79. The winner advances to play against the winner of Michigan State vs. Ole Miss in the Elite Eight. Tipoff from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta is at 9:39 p.m. ET. The latest Michigan vs. Auburn odds via SportsLine consensus list the Tigers as 8.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 154.5. Before making any Auburn vs. Michigan picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the Sweet 16 round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on a 228-168 roll (+1815) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. This model has also produced brackets that have beaten over 91% of CBS Sports entries in four of the last six tournaments and has nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds. Anyone following could have seen huge returns. Now, the model has dialed in on Michigan vs. Auburn and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Michigan vs. Auburn: Senior center Vladislav Goldin is a bruising force in the frontcourt. Goldin puts up a team-high 16.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 61% from the floor. He has scored more than 20 points in six of his last nine games. In the victory over Texas A&M, Goldin totaled 23 points and 12 boards. Junior guard Tre Donaldson is a floor general who can create his own shot. Donaldson logs 11.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per contest. He's poured in 10-plus points and five-plus assists in three of his last five games. On March 16 against Wisconsin, Donaldson racked up 11 points and eight dimes. See which side to pick at SportsLine. Senior forward Johni Broome dominates in the lane as a scorer or a rebounder. Broome leads the team in both points (18.4) and rebounds (10.7) while shooting 50.9% from the field. The Florida native has notched 19 double-doubles this season. In the first round against Alabama State, Broome had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford is an explosive athlete with terrific body control. This season, he's averaging 11.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. The New Jersey native has scored 15-plus points in five of his last seven games. Pettiford finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and three assists in the second-round win over Creighton. See which side to pick at SportsLine. SportsLine's model is leaning Under the total, predicting that the teams will combine for 152 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. See which side to back at SportsLine. So who wins Michigan vs. Auburn, and which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up nearly $1,900 on top-rated spread picks since 2023, and find out. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. There is no gambling offered on this site. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Images by Getty Images and Imagn
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Pedro Pascal is reflecting on the level of fame The Last of Us has given him. During a press conference ahead of the release of season two of the HBO series, the 49-year-old Emmy-nominated actor shared how his role as Joel Miller "created a new chapter in my life in a profound way." Keep reading to find out more...“I think because of the personal experience I had making the show," Pedro continued, via People. "And then, of course, the way the show was received … in a way that is in measure with, like, how deeply important it means to all of us is a rare thing. It will never happen again.” Also during the event, Pedro recalled meeting new co-star Kaitlyn Dever for the first time on set of season 2. “It was like, I admired — have admired — your work for so many years and was just like, I couldn't believe I got to be in scenes with you,” Pedro gushed as Kaitlyn, 28, replied, "Same," as she rubbed his shoulder appreciatively. “You're welcome," Pedro added. "It was really something. It really was." Season two of The Last of Us premieres on HBO and MAX on Sunday, April 13. Watch the trailer here! Brooke Hogan Responds to Family Drama, Explains Why She Cut Contact with Her Family Years Ago How Much Does Coachella Pay Headliners & Other Artists? See Who Earned the Most in History! Source Reveals Where Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly Stand After Birth of Baby Girl Hallmark Channel Has 13 Real-Life Couples Among Its Actors, Though Some Couples Have Sadly Split Up
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By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: Netflix gets a ton of press for its movies with its latest, the big-budget sci-fi epic The Electric State with Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, getting bad reviews from critics and indifferent shrugs from audiences. But Netflix isn't just a movie-making company–it also streams a ton of TV shows, some of which are already modern classics like Stranger Things and Ozark. Drama is Netflix's specialty, and the streamer doesn't lack for quality shows in the genre. With hit new originals like the British series Adolescence, acquired shows like Younger from TV Land, and old favorites like The Queen's Gambit, Netflix's dramas offer a wide variety of different actors, stories, and experiences. 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) seems like an ordinary English teenager, but his angelic face conceals a dark secret: he's angry at the world, and he has violent impulses that are hard to ignore. But when he's accused of killing a fellow classmate, his family, friends, the cops who interrogate him and the psychologist who interviews him all have to answer hard questions to determine Jamie's innocence. Adolescence is only four episodes, but it packs a punch. The miniseries' technical accomplishments (each episode is filmed in one continuous take) only accentuate the show's involving story and impressive acting. The drama is less a mystery and more a meditation on youth-on-youth violence and incel culture, but it never feels preachy or overwrought. Adolescence is one of 2025's breakout hits, and after you're done watching it, you'll understand why it's so popular and disturbing. George Mullen (Robert De Niro) is an ex-president with a lot of time on his hands. Maybe that's why he accepts the current president's request to investigate a massive cyberattack that affected the whole world. But George's memory isn't what it once was, and he'll have to use all of his remaining resources to find out who is behind the attack and why.Zero Day is the first series De Niro has starred in, and he leads a stacked ensemble cast that includes Angela Bassett, Dan Stevens, Lizzy Caplan, Joan Allen, Jesse Plemons and Connie Britton. The show blends elements of other, better shows like Homeland and Bodyguard, but the fun, conspiracy-thriller nonsense and performances, especially by De Niro and Plemons, can't be beat. Liza Miller (Sutton Foster) is a recent divorcee whose teenage daughter has just gone to college. Alone and without a purpose, Liza decides to get an entry-level job in the publishing industry to pick up where she left off before settling down. But her new career comes with a secret: she's posing as a twentysomething to get hired by her ageist superiors. Her ongoing flirtation with 26-year-old tattoo artist Josh (Nico Tortorella) convinces her she can pull off the ruse, but will her new friends and coworkers discover her secret before she can move up the corporate ladder?Younger has an appealing premise and an even more irresistible cast. Foster is charming as the innocently duplicitous Liza, while Debi Mazar is enjoyably salty as her roommate and best friend Maggie. Hilary Duff is surprisingly good as Liza's book editor friend Kelsey, and Miriam Shor does a good Miranda Priestly impersonation as an intimidating publishing executive. Younger ran for seven seasons from 2015 to 2021, and all 84 episodes are available to stream on Netflix. What's it like to get into the mind of a serial killer? That's the central question the Netflix original series Mindhunter tries to answer across two great seasons. Jonathan Groff stars as Holden Ford, a special agent working in the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit. Along with his partner, Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), Holden interviews various famous serial killers — like Ed Kemper (Cameron Britton) and Richard Speck (Jack Erdie) — to understand the complex and peculiar psychology of serial killers. Based on the true crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Killer Crime Unit, Mindhunter blends fact and fiction to produce an unsettling look at criminal compulsion and mass murder. The show was produced and directed by David Fincher, and the Zodiac director's stylish flourishes are all over the series. (That's a good thing.) Rumors of a third season have persisted for years, but the two that have been made are near-perfect. Elizabeth “Beth” Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a rebellious girl with an unusual gift: she is a master at chess and can beat just about anyone. Although this gift is mostly overlooked due to her wild upbringing in 1950s Kentucky, she eventually finds an outlet for her genius and begins to win local chess tournaments. As Beth's fame grows, so does her addiction to drugs and proclivity to indulge in behavior that could jeopardize her future. With a pivotal championship in Russia on the line, can she overcome her inner demons and win it all?Released in October 2020, The Queen's Gambit was a COVID-era hit and made chess cool again. As Beth, Taylor-Joy showcases her impressive range as a dramatic actress with her nuanced portrayal of a genius traumatized by her past. The supporting cast is great, too, with Marielle Heller as Beth's adopted mother Alma and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Beth's rival/lover standing out. The show's seven episodes masterfully blend drama, comedy and genuine suspense throughout Beth's unlikely journey from abused orphan to chess champion. Writer Peter Morgan's historical drama The Crown depicts the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II, from her time as a young princess thrust into leadership by the death of her father to a long-reigning monarch dealing with personal loss and public scandals. Each of the show's six seasons features a different set of actors to portray the royals across various ages. Claire Foy portrayed the young Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons, while Olivia Colman took over the role for seasons 3 and 4 and Imelda Staunton in seasons 5 and 6.There's a reason why the show has won multiple Emmys and a reputation as one of Netflix's finest dramas. The Crown is arresting television, using Elizabeth — and by extension, the British Royal Family — as a way to chronicle England's turbulent post-World War II history. Foy, Colman and Staunton all excel in the lead role, while Josh O'Connor, as a young Prince Charles, and Emma Corrin, as a doe-eyed Princess Diana, are superb. The third and fourth seasons are the best, but you can't go wrong with any of them. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly is part of Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. © a360media 2025Powered by WordPress VIP
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By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: Launched in 2013, the harris project is a nonprofit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of co-occurring disorders (COD) — the combination of mental health challenges and substance use issues. Us Weekly has partnered with the harris project to bring you The Missing Issue, a special edition focusing on the stories of celebrities who struggled with COD. Here, we're revisiting our past coverage of some of those stars. This story ran on usmagazine.com on September 10, 2013: [Read the full original story.] Throughout his 16-year career, ten-time world title winner Oscar De La Hoya was a fearsome competitor in the ring. But the boxer known as “The Golden Boy” said in a 2011 interview with Univision that the one-two punch of addiction and depression was “the biggest fight of [his] life,” one that left him contemplating suicide. De La Hoya, now 52, continues to speak openly about how managing his co-occurring disorders has been a lifelong battle. De La Hoya has told numerous outlets that his introduction to alcohol was born of curiosity and opportunity — he'd sneak sips of beer at family functions as a child — but that introduction soon became a problem. He developed a dependency partly as a result of what he says was a physically and emotionally abusive relationship with his parents. “I got into a lot of alcohol and drugs, and I just literally lost myself,” he told Fox Business in July 2023. He was seeking affection he didn't get, he says. “My father never told me, ‘I love you,'” he told BELLA magazine that same month. “My mother never told me she loved me … When I would cry, she would start hitting me. That is how bad it was.” De La Hoya's professional persona centered on his toughness and imperviousness to pain, but behind the scenes he was self-medicating to block out overwhelming fear and shame. “I depended more on the alcohol than the cocaine,” De La Hoya told Univision in 2011. “It took me to a place where I felt safe; it took me to a place where I felt as if nobody [could] say anything to me; it took me to a place where I just [could] reach out and grab my mom.” A father of six, De La Hoya has said that he wasn't prepared to be a parent — and that his older children suffered as a result of his emotional absence. “It comes to the point where you convince yourself that this is not you,” he told BELLA magazine. “This is scary. You are not worthy of this. You are not worthy of giving love. Then you start feeling sorry for yourself. Life starts just spiraling and you're lost. All you want to do is drink and do drugs and escape … I always felt like I wasn't worthy of anything, like I wasn't worthy of love, and I wasn't worthy enough to do the job.” The former athlete shares his eldest child, son Jacob, 27, with ex Toni Alvarado. He also shares his son Devon, 26, and daughter Atiana, 25, with exes Angelicque McQueen and Shanna Moakler, respectively. He and his ex-wife, Millie Corretjer, welcomed kids Oscar Jr., 19, Nina, 17, and Victoria, 11, before their 2016 split. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News “I did go through the rehabs, I did go through therapies,” he told the Associated Press in July 2023. “At this time in my life, I've made the decision and I've prepared myself over the years to find balance. It's all balance. Life is great. It's really, really good right now. I'm happy, I'm working, I'm doing the things I want to do on my terms … It's like I'm doing it my way for the first time ever.” To purchase The Missing Issue for $8.99 go to https://magazineshop.us/harrisproject. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and/or substance use, you are not alone. Seek immediate intervention — call 911 for medical attention; 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; or 1-800-662-HELP for the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Helpline. Carrying naloxone (Narcan) can help reverse an opioid overdose. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly is part of Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. © a360media 2025Powered by WordPress VIP
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By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: The Conners star Emma Kenney feels lucky to have boyfriend Conrad Hilton by her side. During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Kenney, 27, opened up about working on her foster-based rescue Yogi's House with Hilton, 30, saying, “My boyfriend and I have always been huge animal lovers. That's something we bonded over years ago when we first started dating. When I started Yogi's House, he definitely wanted to get involved and I'm so grateful for his help.” Kenney praised Hilton for his hard work. “He is extremely hands-on and he also just listens to me on the phone with veterinarians literally all day, every day. He never gets annoyed about it and he's always there to offer his advice,” she shared. “So it's definitely really special to be able to do it with him.” In addition to collaborating with Hilton, Kenney founded Yogi's House with fellow actress Nicola Peltz-Beckham. “We both are super passionate about dog rescue, which is kind of how we bonded initially and how Yogi's House came to be,” she added. “It's something I'm so grateful for doing with a partner and it's definitely a dream come true.” Kenney got her start as a child actress in projects such as Shameless, The Conners and more. She has used her platform to transition to philanthropic work as well. “That is how I spend probably half of my day at least working on it,” Kenney told Us. “I honestly feel like I'm getting a veterinary degree at this point because I deal with the foster vets every single day. I honestly feel I'm learning a lot about the medical side of raising dogs, which is really interesting and something that I would be interested in learning more about.” She added: “Every single day something new comes up. It's a lot of people. I deal with a lot of people every single day and we create these relationships and we have such an amazing foster community and we really couldn't do the rescue without our fosters since we're foster-based. So I'm so grateful for every single volunteer that we've worked with. We could not do it without everyone.” Kenney took great pride in the professional venture, saying, “Ever since I've been a kid, I've always been super passionate about animal rescue and I always knew owning a dog rescue was going to be something I did one day. So to actually have it come to fruition and be something I'm doing every single day is such a dream come true.” You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News When Kenney isn't helping rescue dogs in Los Angeles, she is working in front of the camera. Kenney's hit ABC series The Conners is currently airing its final season and she's already thinking about what comes next. “I've been working so consistently since I was 9 and this is the first time in my career and in my life that I've been able to take a step back and think about what's next for me. I really want to be intentional with my next role and my next project,” Kenney, who also appeared on Happy's Place, explained. “I just want to explore a lot of different creative avenues, whether that's multicam again or movies or anything. I want to try it all. I'm definitely excited.” The Conners airs on ABC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly is part of Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. © a360media 2025Powered by WordPress VIP
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By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: The latest Love Is Blind buzz is giving fans plenty to dissect! Season 7's Nick Dorka raised eyebrows after sliding into season 4 alum Micah Lussier's DMs following his breakup from fiancée Hannah Jiles, sparking potential new love drama. Meanwhile, season 8 contestant Madison Errichiello opened up about her love triangle and her no-regrets approach to discussing intimacy in the pods. Across the pond, Love Is Blind U.K. contestant Sam Klein defended his “villain” edit, claiming the show didn't paint his connections in the right light. Fans are also talking about season 8 star Dave Bettenburg's polarizing pick-up lines and controversial comments, which certainly have everyone questioning his love connection choices. Nick Dorka has moved on from ex-fiancée Hannah Jiles — and has another Netflix blonde in mind for his next date. Sam Klein is speaking out about his portrayal on the show. It appears Nick Dorka from the new season of Love Is Blind didn't learn anything from last season's Chelsea Blackwell comparing herself to Megan Fox in the pods. Madison Errichiello gave the Netflix experiment her all — meaning nothing was off the table. Six months after Love is Blind stars Marissa George and Ramses Prashad called it quits, they started communicating again — but a second round at romance wasn't in the cards. It didn't take long to identify one of the more polarizing characters on season 8 of Love Is Blind. This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists from Us Weekly. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly is part of Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. © a360media 2025Powered by WordPress VIP
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By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: Sign InUp with your social account We won't post to any of your accounts Your password must include: What if you never had to get older? It sounds like a blessing at first, but if you think about it, it could easily turn into a curse. In The Age of Adaline, Blake Lively plays a woman who stops aging at 29. The world, however, continues to age around her, and Adaline struggles to lead a normal life. This magical movie features one of Blake Lively's best performances, a heart-wrenching love story and a stacked cast. The romantic drama is leaving Netflix on April 1, so this is your last chance to check it out. Here are a few reasons why it's worth watching. In 1937, Adaline is a happily married new mom when a cataclysmic car accident changes her life in an unexpected way. No matter how many years go by, she doesn't look any older than she did on the day of the accident. When Adaline realizes she's stopped aging, she tries to figure out what her condition might be, but she finds she is completely unique. Unfortunately for her, she's not the only one who's curious. After two FBI agents try to kidnap and study her, she has to go on the run, changing her identity every few years, in order to evade capture. This life on the run means severing ties with people she loves, never staying in one place for too long, and never drawing attention to herself. She even needs to leave her beloved daughter behind. One of the most underrated parts of this movie is its star power. It's still not clear why more people weren't talking about Harrison Ford's performance as Adaline's long-lost love, William, who just so happens to be the father of her present-day boyfriend. One critic called The Age of Adaline Ford's “best performance since The Fugitive” and he's absolutely right. Ford's terrific here, and makes you wish he acted in more parts like this one throughout his career. Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn also shines as Adaline's daughter, Flemming, who appears old enough to be her daughter's grandmother by the end of the film. A post shared by Age Of Adaline (@ageofadaline) If you're a fan of period films, this movie is for you. Adaline's 107-year life takes her through a wide variety of fashion eras, from flapper dresses to groovy '60s headbands. And of course, Lively looks phenomenal in all of them. The movie's marketing team was way ahead of its time in 2015 when they enlisted influencers to create looks based on the “Fashion Through the Decades” featured in the film. Lively is faced with a remarkable acting challenge in this film: portraying a woman who is over 90 years old in the body of a 29-year-old. She rises to the occasion admirably, making a fantastical character feel natural and believable. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News The warmth and vulnerability that made audiences fall in love with Lively in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is on full display here as she navigates Adaline's many complicated relationships. The chemistry between Adaline and her present-day love interest, her daughter, and her past love all sparkle on the screen in this unhurried, thoughtful film. If you're in the mood for a soapy romance with a magical realism twist, be sure to watch The Age of Adaline before it leaves Netflix on April 1. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Us Weekly is part of Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. © a360media 2025Powered by WordPress VIP
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Manage your account Alison Arngrim was 48 years old when she publicly revealed she was sexually abused by a family member starting at age 6. It was 2004 when the actress, who played mean girl Nellie Oleson in "Little House on the Prairie," first told her story to Larry King. She described how appearing in the hit TV series saved her sanity in her 2011 memoir "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch." The star has become an advocate for child sex abuse victims, but her work is far from done, she insisted. Arngrim is the president of the National Association to Protect Children, a nonprofit that aims to give children a legal and political voice in "the war against child abuse." Michael Landon Didn't Allow ‘Any A--holes' On ‘Little House On The Prairie' Set: Actress Arngrim wants to combat predators who seek places where children can be found unsupervised. Places like Hollywood continue to be a hot spot, she said. Read On The Fox News App "Hollywood still has a sex abuse problem," Arngrim told Fox News Digital. "Whenever you have an environment where there are lots of children … there's going to be predators. There's going to be someone who wants a job where they have unfettered access to young children all day. And the more that job involves completely unsupervised access to children, the more attractive that job is going to be." "We have lots of people who have sacrificed their whole lives to help children," Arngrim shared. "But, sadly, there are others who aren't that way." According to the organization's website, it has worked in Congress and in over 27 states to craft legislation that leads to stronger, tougher laws that combat child exploitation. "There's a lot to do," said Arngrim. "We all think if someone gets arrested for child molestation, sexual abuse, they will go to jail, and they will be on a sex offender's list. But that's not always the case. There are cases where they are let go, which is bonkers. "We are looking for those loopholes in many states to help protect children. … If you're in a state that doesn't have specific rules and laws on set, especially for working children [in the entertainment industry], that's a problem. And we need to address it." Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter Arngrim admitted that, for years, she kept her childhood abuse a secret out of shame. Getting the chance to finally tell her story was freeing. "The focus and shame are often put on the victim," said Arngrim. "But shouldn't it be on the person who did this?... When the Larry King episode aired, I felt like a weight was off my shoulders." For Arngrim, pain turned into purpose. "There are laws that say a child can only work so many hours at a store, but those same laws don't always apply to a child on a film or TV set," she said. "They're exempt. Laws were created in California where you have massive regulations, but some unscrupulous producers will shoot shows in other parts of the country so that they do not have to follow any of those regulations." Arngrim noted that, as a child actress, she felt safe on the set of "Little House on the Prairie," which aired from 1974 to 1983. "We had major regulations and, thank God, we followed them to the letter," she explained. "And [director] Michael Landon started working [in Hollywood] when he was really young. And look, he was hardly Pa Ingalls. He smoked and drank. He knew what the world outside ‘Little House' could be. [But] it was important for him to create a safe space for his crew. Like What You're Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News "He came from ‘Bonanza,' and many of the crew members came from the show too, so he had already known them for years, long before he started ‘Little House,'" Arngrim shared. "And many of them followed him to ‘Highway to Heaven.' Many of the extras, the kids you saw in the schoolrooms, were children of the crew members, the electricians. Everyone was on set. "He also prioritized school," Arngrim continued. "He made sure our teachers were there with a stopwatch to make sure we didn't miss out on class. He made sure we always had lunch. I even remember when Michael's kids would be on set. The rule was they could only be on the set during their summer breaks if their grades were at the proper level and their schoolwork was done well. Otherwise, they had to go to summer school. They couldn't just hang out on the set." Her castmates weren't exempt. They were also required to have good grades. WATCH: LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE SAVED NASTY NELLIE FROM PAINFUL CHILDHOOD "Nothing got past Michael," Arngrim chuckled. "He wanted to do things by the book. He also wanted everybody to go home at a reasonable time so they could spend time with their families. And with having such a huge kids cast, I'm sure he was relieved too. But I remember we would be done by 5, and everyone was out the door. Sure, you could spend another hour or two shooting a few scenes, especially the adults. But Michael made sure we were on our way home by 6 for dinner. And it worked." Landon died in 1991 at age 54 from pancreatic cancer. WATCH: ‘LITTLE HOUSE' STAR MICHAEL LANDON WAS STUBBORN ABOUT HIS HEALTH: DAUGHTER "I felt very safe on the ‘Little House' set," Arngrim reflected. "I felt that if we ever went to any one of the crew members and said, ‘This person is bothering me,' we wouldn't find the body for weeks. It was just an extraordinarily protective set. It was an excellent atmosphere. Michael wanted this show to thrive. And if the kids weren't taken care of, and we weren't following the rules, we wouldn't have a show. "Not mistreating your children is the more profitable move." Today, Arngrim hopes parents eager to put their kids in showbiz will look for telltale signs of trouble. "There's always going to be a predatory problem, especially in Hollywood, because it's so easy," she said. "Look at how many parents are so desperate to see their kids become famous. … People can get crazy with [the idea of fame]. "If they meet someone who says they're a manager, an agent, a photographer or talent scout, and they want to be alone with your kid, or they want to take your kid to a different location for an audition or whatever … they'll just see this promise of fame. And things will happen. It happens all the time. "That's a problem. Parents will drop their kids off at a guy's house, no questions asked, because they'll say, ‘Well, this person said my child will be on TV,'" she added. "Meanwhile, the predator is thinking, ‘I've hit the jackpot.' "That's why they're predators. They look for the weak spots. They look for the kid from the broken home, the kid having trouble in school, the kid whose parents are maybe working two to three jobs and maybe aren't paying attention. … We need to be vigilant in this business. … It's gotten better since my day, but there's more to be done." Original article source: ‘Little House on the Prairie' star issues warning about ‘predators' lurking in Hollywood
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Kelly Clarkson is reflecting on how the music industry's attitude towards singing competition shows has changed over the years. The 42-year-old singer, who won the first season of American Idol in 2002, said that many of her peers judged her for getting her start on a singing competition show. However, some of them ironically later became judges on another popular singing competition show, The Voice. “People that were really mean have been coaches. [They] hated talent shows, and they ended up being on The Voice,” Kelly revealed on Kylie Kelce's Not Gonna Lie podcast. Keep reading to find out more... Without naming names, Kelly then said that while people in the industry originally turned their nose at her, they eventually started coming around when singing competition shows became more prevalent. “People were really cruel at first. They didn't like it. It took the industry kind of by storm, the talent shows. It was a very unlikable thing in the industry concerning the populous. Now there's so many,” she added. Kelly also became a coach on The Voice herself, and said that her background gave her valuable insight and empathy towards contestants. “People like us who have been there in that audition process, and just being so judged instantaneously, on maybe not your best performance but you know you can do better. It's a grueling thing,” she said. She continued, “It's unforgiving in a lot of ways, and a lot of pressure for these artists that I don't think a lot of artists that sell tons of records would be able to handle. It's a different thing.” Meanwhile, the season 1 top 10 finalists of American Idol have all gone on to do different things with their careers. Brooke Hogan Responds to Family Drama, Explains Why She Cut Contact with Her Family Years Ago How Much Does Coachella Pay Headliners & Other Artists? See Who Earned the Most in History! Source Reveals Where Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly Stand After Birth of Baby Girl Hallmark Channel Has 13 Real-Life Couples Among Its Actors, Though Some Couples Have Sadly Split Up
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Jenny McCarthy is being transparent about her health scare after going vegan. The 52-year-old Masked Singer judge revealed that she "almost died" after switching to a plant-based diet on a recent episode of the Heal Squad x Maria Menounos podcast. “I literally almost died. I became so ill. I was exhausted and fatigued. I was a mess," she said. Keep reading to find out more... Jenny explained that her celiac disease and soy allergy aggravated the issue for her, making it extremely difficult for her to get adequate nutrition. The model then said her symptoms started alleviating once she began eating meat again, per the advice of her doctor. However, Jenny also emphasized that certain diets affect everyone differently. “It's what you believe and you have to follow your intuition and then also follow what your blood says or what your body says. Your body will let you know, by the way,” she said. If you didn't see, earlier this month, Jenny and her husband Donnie Wahlberg made a red carpet appearance at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Brooke Hogan Responds to Family Drama, Explains Why She Cut Contact with Her Family Years Ago How Much Does Coachella Pay Headliners & Other Artists? See Who Earned the Most in History! Source Reveals Where Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly Stand After Birth of Baby Girl Hallmark Channel Has 13 Real-Life Couples Among Its Actors, Though Some Couples Have Sadly Split Up
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Lil Nas X reveals that he and Taylor Swift almost collaborated on a track. The 25-year-old rapper said that he and the "Fortnight" singer were in the early stages of creating a song together, but things didn't end up working out for the project. “We were working on something. She offered to let me try a verse on something, but I couldn't catch a vibe for it, so it didn't happen,” he told E! News in a recent interview. Keep reading to find out more... The "Industry Baby" singer said that he “even want to talk about” what he and Taylor could've created together. “I'm thankful that she even considered me,” he said. If you didn't see, another famous musician recently revealed that Taylor name-dropped her on a Tortured Poets Department track. Brooke Hogan Responds to Family Drama, Explains Why She Cut Contact with Her Family Years Ago How Much Does Coachella Pay Headliners & Other Artists? See Who Earned the Most in History! Source Reveals Where Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly Stand After Birth of Baby Girl Hallmark Channel Has 13 Real-Life Couples Among Its Actors, Though Some Couples Have Sadly Split Up
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Brooke Hogan Responds to Family Drama, Explains Why She Cut Contact with Her Family Years Ago How Much Does Coachella Pay Headliners & Other Artists? See Who Earned the Most in History! Source Reveals Where Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly Stand After Birth of Baby Girl Hallmark Channel Has 13 Real-Life Couples Among Its Actors, Though Some Couples Have Sadly Split Up Kim Kardashian is manifesting a new beau. On a recent episode of The Kardashians on Hulu, the 44-year-old SKIMS founder reveled that she is designing a closet space for her future hypothetical boyfriend while renovating her home. “Who's him?” Kim‘s mother, Kris Jenner, inquired. “I don't know,” Kim responded. “I won't be open to having a partner if I don't build it.” Keep reading to find out more… Kris, 69, later said in a confessional that “there's not a him,” when it comes to Kim‘s relationship status, but she does think that her daughter is currently “looking for true love.” “She's the best version of Kim when she's in love,” she said. Kim‘s ex-husband, Kanye West, has been the subject to much controversy lately, including his concerning behavior on social media. Kim and Kanye were married for nearly seven years before divorcing in 2021. They are parents to North, 11, Saint, 9, Psalm, 5, and Chicago, 7. Last month, Kim opened up about still having “good vibes” with Kanye.
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Brooke Hogan Responds to Family Drama, Explains Why She Cut Contact with Her Family Years Ago How Much Does Coachella Pay Headliners & Other Artists? See Who Earned the Most in History! Source Reveals Where Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly Stand After Birth of Baby Girl Hallmark Channel Has 13 Real-Life Couples Among Its Actors, Though Some Couples Have Sadly Split Up Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, have both been found guilty of fraud. On Friday (March 28), the 35-year-old rapper and Janice were found guilty of all charges by a federal jury in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to CBS News. Sean and Janice were both found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and four counts of wire fraud. They now await sentencing, and both face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count. Sean has been placed on house arrest until sentencing. Keep reading to find out more… Last year, the two were arrested and indicted for an alleged “scheme to defraud victim sellers of high-end specialty vehicles, jewelry, and other goods purchased by the defendants through the use of fraudulent documents,” according to the United States Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida. The allegations in the indictment state the mother-son duo “unjustly enriched themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers as payment for vehicles, jewelry, and other goods purchased by the defendants, when in fact no such bank wire or other monetary payment transfers had been executed by the purported banks, and thereafter the defendants retained or attempted to retain the vehicles, jewelry and other goods despite non-payment. Through the execution of this scheme, the defendants obtained in excess of $1 million in property.” Shortly after his arrest in 2024, the “Beautiful Girls” singer addressed the situation on his Instagram story.
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