by Mirits

3 die off northern France coast in Channel crossing attempt 

Paris — At least three migrants died early Sunday while attempting to cross the English Channel to Britain from northern France, authorities said. The deaths were confirmed after an early morning rescue operation involving French emergency services and the navy’s “Dauphin” helicopter.  Around 50 people were stranded in the water and on the beach near Sangatte at around 6 a.m., according to the regional prefecture. Rescuers assisted 45 individuals, including four who were transported to hospitals.  Three unconscious people were pulled from the water but could not be revived, despite efforts by medical teams.  An investigation has been opened by prosecutors in Boulogne-sur-Mer.  Jacques Billant, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said an overcrowded boat may have contributed to the tragedy.  “There were more people attempting to board than the boat could hold,” he said during a press conference Sunday.  Sunday’s tragedy comes during a spike in Channel crossing attempts as 2024 draws to a close. Officials have noted a significant increase in attempted crossings over the past days.  “Since Dec. 24, 23 maritime incidents have been thwarted by internal security forces, saving over 1,000 lives,” said Billant. “But crossing attempts continue, despite extremely dangerous sea conditions. The water is icy, so survival time in the water is very short.”  This year has been one of the deadliest for migrants attempting the perilous journey between France and England, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, with at least 76 deaths reported by officials.  Billant blamed human traffickers for putting lives at risk.  “These are low-quality boats put into the water solely for profit by these criminal networks, which have no regard for the lives of these children, women and men,” he said.  In November, a French court convicted 18 people in a migrant-smuggling trial that shed light on the lucrative but often deadly clandestine business of transporting people across the English Channel.  Despite French and British efforts to stop it, the route remains a major smuggling corridor for people fleeing conflict or poverty. Migrants favor the U.K. for reasons of language, family ties or perceived easier access to asylum and work.    …

by Tage

Tornadoes in Texas, Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east 

Houston, Texas — A strong storm system threatened to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast on Sunday, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi.  The National Weather Service’s severe storm tracker indicated the system was moving east through Alabama into Georgia shortly before 4 a.m. The agency issued severe thunder storm warnings with the possibility of tornadoes in western Georgia, the northwestern tip of Florida and elsewhere.  On Saturday, one person died in the Liverpool area, located south of Houston, Texas. Four people suffered injuries that were not considered critical, according to Madison Polston of the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.  There were “multiple touchdown points” in the county between Liverpool, Hillcrest Village and Alvin. Officials knew of around 10 damaged homes but were working to determine the extent of the damage, Polston said.  In Mississippi, one person died in Adams County and two people were injured in Franklin County, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.  The National Weather Service said two tornadoes hit around Bude and the city of Brandon, ripping roofs from several buildings.  It appeared at least six tornadoes touched down in the Houston area, though more may be discovered when crews go out to survey the damage. There was damage in the area from both tornadoes and straight-line winds, according to Josh Lichter, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.  North of Houston, mobile homes were damaged or destroyed in Katy and Porter Heights, where the doors of a fire station were blown in, the weather service said.  Storm damage has been reported in the northern Alabama town of Athens, just northwest of Huntsville. A National Weather Service survey team was expected to begin assessing damage Sunday morning, said meteorologist Chelly Amin.  Also Sunday, the National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings across portions of the Deep South as the line of storms barreled east through Alabama, Georgia and into South Carolina. Wind gusts of 60 mph (97 kph) were expected in the Spartanburg, South Carolina, area. Damage to trees and powerlines was expected in a number of counties, while a tornada watch was in effect for some parts of the state.  At 9 a.m. Sunday ET, nearly 65,000 customers were without power in Mississippi, down from 93,000 around 1 a.m., according to electric utility tracking website PowerOutage.us. Some 54,000 customers were without power … “Tornadoes in Texas, Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east “ →

by Mirits

Azerbaijan’s president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally 

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for trying to “hush up” the issue for days. “We can say with complete clarity that the plane was shot down by Russia. […] We are not saying that it was done intentionally, but it was done,” he told Azerbaijani state television. Aliyev said that the airliner, which crashed Wednesday in Kazakhstan, was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and “rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare.” Aliyev accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days, saying he was “upset and surprised” by versions of events put forward by Russian officials. “Unfortunately, for the first three days we heard nothing from Russia except delirious versions,” he said. The crash killed 38 of 67 people on board. The Kremlin said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, where the plane attempted to land, to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike. Aliyev said Azerbaijan made three demands to Russia in connection with the crash. “First, the Russian side must apologize to Azerbaijan. Second, it must admit its guilt. Third, punish the guilty, bring them to criminal responsibility and pay compensation to the Azerbaijani state, the injured passengers and crew members,” he said. Aliyev noted that the first demand was “already fulfilled” when Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to him on Saturday. Putin called the crash a “tragic incident” though stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media on Sunday that Putin had spoken to Aliyev over the phone again, but did not provide details of the conversation. The Kremlin also said a joint investigation by Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan has begun at the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of kilometers (miles) across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while making an attempt to land. Passengers and crew who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it was circling over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting … “Azerbaijan’s president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally “ →

by Tage

North Korea’s Kim vows toughest anti-US policy before Trump takes office

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he will implement the “toughest” anti-U.S. policy, less than a month before Donald Trump takes office as U.S. president, the country’s state media reported Sunday. Trump’s return to the White House raises prospects for high-profile diplomacy with North Korea. During his first term, Trump met Kim three times for talks on the North’s nuclear program. Many experts however say a quick resumption of Kim-Trump summitry is unlikely as Trump would first focus on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine also poses a challenge to efforts to revive diplomacy, experts say. During a five-day plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party that ended Friday, Kim called the U.S. “the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy.” Kim said that the U.S.-South Korea-Japan security partnership is expanding into “a nuclear military bloc for aggression.” “This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. It said Kim’s speech “clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-U.S. counteraction to be launched aggressively” by North Korea for its long-term national interests and security. KCNA didn’t elaborate on the anti-U.S. strategy. But it said Kim set forth tasks to bolster military capability through defense technology advancements and stressed the need to improve the mental toughness of North Korean soldiers. The previous meetings between Trump and Kim had not only put an end to their exchanges of fiery rhetoric and threats of destruction, but they developed personal connections. Trump once famously said he and Kim “fell in love.” But their talks eventually collapsed in 2019, as they wrangled over U.S.-led sanctions on the North. North Korea has since sharply increased the pace of its weapons testing activities to build more reliable nuclear missiles targeting the U.S. and its allies. The U.S. and South Korea have responded by expanding their military bilateral drills and also trilateral ones involving Japan, drawing strong rebukes from the North, which views such U.S.-led exercises as invasion rehearsals. Further complicating efforts to get North Korea to rid itself of nuclear weapons is its deepening military cooperation with Russia. According to U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops and conventional weapons systems to support Moscow’s war against … “North Korea’s Kim vows toughest anti-US policy before Trump takes office” →

by Tage

AI technology helps level playing field for students with disabilities

For Makenzie Gilkison, spelling is such a struggle that a word like rhinoceros might come out as “rineanswsaurs” or sarcastic as “srkastik.”  The 14-year-old from suburban Indianapolis can sound out words, but her dyslexia makes the process so draining that she often struggles with comprehension. “I just assumed I was stupid,” she recalled of her early grade school years.  But assistive technology powered by artificial intelligence has helped her keep up with classmates. Last year, Makenzie was named to the National Junior Honor Society. She credits a customized AI-powered chatbot, a word prediction program and other tools that can read for her.  “I would have just probably given up if I didn’t have them,” she said.  New tech; countless possibilities Artificial intelligence holds the promise of helping countless  students with a range of visual, speech, language and hearing impairments to execute tasks that come easily to others. Schools everywhere have been wrestling with how and where to incorporate AI, but many are fast-tracking applications for students with disabilities.  Getting the latest technology into the hands of students with disabilities is a priority for the U.S. Education Department, which has told schools they must consider whether students need tools like text-to-speech and alternative communication devices. New rules from the Department of Justice also will require schools and other government entities to make apps and online content accessible to those with disabilities.  There is concern about how to ensure students using it — including those with disabilities — are still learning.  Students can use artificial intelligence to summarize jumbled thoughts into an outline, summarize complicated passages, or even translate Shakespeare into common English. And computer-generated voices that can read passages for visually impaired and dyslexic students are becoming less robotic and more natural.  “I’m seeing that a lot of students are kind of exploring on their own, almost feeling like they’ve found a cheat code in a video game,” said Alexis Reid, an educational therapist in the Boston area who works with students with learning disabilities. But in her view, it is far from cheating: “We’re meeting students where they are.”  Programs fortify classroom lessons  Ben Snyder, a 14-year-old freshman from Larchmont, New York, who was recently diagnosed with a learning disability, has been increasingly using AI to help with homework.  “Sometimes in math, my teachers will explain a problem to me, but it just makes absolutely no sense,” he said. “So … “AI technology helps level playing field for students with disabilities” →

by Tage

What is the Native American Church and why is peyote sacred to members?

The Native American Church is considered the most widespread religious movement among the Indigenous people of North America. It holds sacred the peyote cactus, which grows naturally only in some parts of southern Texas and northern Mexico. Peyote has been used spiritually in ceremonies, and as a medicine by Native American people for millennia. It contains several psychoactive compounds, primarily mescaline, which is a hallucinogen. Different tribes of peyote people have their own name for the cactus. While it is still a controlled substance, U.S. laws passed in 1978 and 1994 allow Native Americans to use, harvest and transport peyote. However, these laws only allow federally recognized Native American tribes to use the substance and don’t apply to the broader group of Indigenous people in the United States. The Native American Church developed into a distinct way of life around 1885 among the Kiowa and Comanche of Oklahoma. After 1891, it began to spread as far north as Canada. Now, more than 50 tribes and 400,000 people practice it. In general, the peyotist doctrine espouses belief in one supreme God who deals with humans through various spirits that then carry prayers to God. In many tribes, the peyote plant itself is a deity, personified as Peyote Spirit. Why was the Native American Church incorporated? The Native American Church is not one unified entity like, say, the Catholic Church. It contains a diversity of tribes, beliefs and practices. Peyote is what unifies them. After peyote was banned by U.S. government agents in 1888 and later by 15 states, Native American tribes began incorporating as individual Native American Churches in 1918. In order to preserve the peyote ceremony, the federal and state governments encouraged Native American people to organize as a church, said Darrell Red Cloud, the great-great grandson of Chief Red Cloud of the Lakota Nation and vice president of the Native American Church of North America. In the following decades, the religion grew significantly, with several churches bringing Jesus Christ’s name and image into the church so their congregations and worship would be accepted, said Steve Moore, who is non-Native and was formerly a staff attorney at the Native American Rights Fund. “Local religious leaders in communities would see the image of Jesus, a Bible or cross on the wall of the meeting house or tipi and they would hear references to Jesus in the prayers or songs,” he said. … “What is the Native American Church and why is peyote sacred to members?” →

by Tage

Virginia zoo welcomes newborn pygmy hippopotamus as year ends

richmond, virginia — A female pygmy hippopotamus delivered a healthy calf at the Metro Richmond Zoo earlier this month, officials said — the third baby hippo born at the zoo within the past five years.  The mother, Iris, gave birth to the female calf on December 9 following a seven-month gestation, zoo officials said. The newborn, who has yet to be named, is the third calf for Iris and the father, Corwin. One of the calves born previously was also a December baby, the zoo said. “Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years,” zoo officials said in a news release Tuesday.  Five days after her birth, the baby had a neonatal exam and weighed 6.8 kilograms. Officials said that fully grown pygmy hippos can weigh up to 270 kilograms.  According to the Richmond-area zoo, pygmy hippos are an endangered West African species, and only 2,500 mature hippos remain in the wild. Officials said pygmy hippos are distinctive from regular hippos because they do not live in groups and are usually solitary or in pairs.  “For this reason, once Iris’ two previous calves grew up, they were moved to other zoological facilities to live with future mates and continue contributing to the conservation of their species,” the news release said. …

by Tage

Abortions more common in US, as women turn to pills, travel

Abortion has become more common despite bans or deep restrictions in most Republican-controlled states, and the legal and political fights over its future are not over yet. It’s now been two and a half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door for states to implement bans. The policies and their impact have been in flux ever since the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Here’s a look at data on where things stand: Abortions are more common than before Dobbs Overturning Roe and enforcing abortion bans has changed how woman obtain abortions in the United States. One thing it hasn’t done is put a dent in the number of abortions being obtained. There have been slightly more monthly abortions across the country recently than there were in the months leading up to the June 2022 ruling, even as the number in states with bans dropped to near zero. “Abortion bans don’t actually prevent abortions from happening,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a public health social scientist at the University of California San Francisco. For women in some states, there are major obstacles to getting abortions — and advocates say that low-income, minority and immigrant women are least likely to be able to get them when they want. For those living in states with bans, the ways to access abortion are through travel or abortion pills. Pills become bigger part of equation — and legal questions As the bans happened, abortion pills became a bigger part of the equation. They were involved in about half the abortions before Dobbs. More recently, it’s been closer to two-thirds of them, according to research by the Guttmacher Institute. The uptick of that kind of abortion, usually involving a combination of two drugs, was underway before the ruling. But now, it’s become more common for pill prescriptions to be made by telehealth. By the summer of 2024, about 1 in 10 abortions were via pills prescribed via telehealth to patients in states where abortion is banned. As a result, the pills are now at the center of battles over abortion access. This month, Texas sued a New York doctor for prescribing pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. There’s also an effort by Idaho, Kansas and Missouri to roll back their federal approvals and treat them as “controlled dangerous substances,” and a push for the federal government to … “Abortions more common in US, as women turn to pills, travel” →

by Mirits

UK to tax private schools in $1.9 B boost to public education

LONDON — The U.K. will end a tax exemption for private schools Wednesday, the center-left Labour government has announced, in a move set to raise over £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) for public education. After years of worsening educational inequalities, from Jan. 1, private schools will have to pay 20% value added tax on tuition fees, which will be used to fund thousands of new teachers and improve standards in state schools. “It’s time things are done differently,” finance minister Rachel Reeves said in a statement Sunday. The funding will “go towards our state schools where 94% of this country’s children are educated,” she said. The policy was promised by Labour in its election campaign and officially laid out in its inaugural budget in October. It hopes the move will bring in $1.9 billion for the 2025-2026 school year and rise to $2.1 billion a year by 2029-30, which will be used to fund 6,500 new teachers in the public sector. Tuition fees in private schools already average $22,600 a year, according to the Independent Schools Council, which represents private schools. That figure is set to rise, with the government estimating that tuition fees will increase by around 10%, with schools taking on part of the additional cost. “High and rising standards cannot just be for families who can afford them,” said education secretary Bridget Phillipson. Opponents of the reform say state school enrolment will explode if the private sector is lost, increasing the cost to the government. But studies contradict this. The Institute for Fiscal Studies calculated that the number of children in state schools will actually fall by 2030 due to a projected population decline. Several research centers also point out that the disparity between private and state schools widened sharply under the 14-year Conservative rule. The Labour government won a landslide election in July promising to boost economic growth and improve public services. …

by Tage

North Korea launches ‘toughest’ US strategy during key party meeting

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a key policy-setting meeting of the country’s ruling party last week ahead of the new year, state media KCNA reported on Sunday.  The meeting of party and government officials decided that North Korea would launch the “toughest” strategy to counteract the United States for its security and national interests, the report said, without elaborating.  The alliance between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan has expanded to a “nuclear military bloc” and South Korea has become an “anti-communist outpost” for the U.S., the KCNA report added.  “This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how,” it said.  The December 23-27 meeting also reviewed the handling of floods earlier this year, including the plan that brought those affected to Pyongyang, the capital, according to the report.  The reclusive state also vowed to promote relations with “friendly” countries during the meeting.  Kim also called for progress in defense, science and technology to bolster the country’s war deterrence.   Such meetings often last a few days and have been used in recent years to make key policy announcements.  In a reshuffle, Pyongyang named Pak Thae Song, a party secretary, as a new premier to replace Kim Tok Hun.  Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was named a member of the powerful Politburo of the party’s Central Committee.  The 11th plenary session of the eighth central committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea wraps up a year in which Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Kim and signed a deal that included a mutual defense pledge.  Washington and Seoul have criticized the two countries’ military cooperation, including what they say is a dispatch of North Korean troops to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine.  …

by Tage

Storms delay, cancel thousands of flights across US

Severe weather disrupted holiday travel on Saturday across the United States with deadly tornadoes in the Southeast and heavy snow and wind on the West Coast delaying or canceling thousands of flights across the country.  More than 7,000 flights in the U.S. were delayed on Saturday, according to the tracking site FlightAware, and more than 200 were canceled.  About a third of the flights were delayed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, according to FlightAware, and nearly half of the flights originating from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, were delayed.  At least 10 tornadoes touched down in the U.S. states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi on Saturday, leaving one person dead near Houston, the National Weather Service and local law enforcement said.  “Those numbers will probably go up,” said forecaster Aaron Gleason, with the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.  The one death and four injuries were reported Saturday in Brazoria County, Texas, about 45 miles south of Houston, according to the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.  Officials say that many homes and schools were severely damaged or destroyed. Images on social media show scattered ruins of homes and snapped trees and utility poles strewn across streets and lawns.  Out west, high winds, with gusts up to 241 kilometers per hour in the high elevations of the Tahoe Basin in California and 80 kph at lower elevations hit the area this weekend and with heavy rainfall expected from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon, forecasters said.  Forecasters said to expect between 10 and 15 centimeters of rain before New Year’s Eve and up to 3 meters of snow in Lake Tahoe, located on the border of California and Nevada.  “Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines,” the Weather Service warned. “Widespread power outages are possible.”  …

by Mirits

Belarus’ leader pardons 20 more prisoners; rights groups say repression continues

TALLINN, ESTONIA — Belarus’ authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 20 more people that rights activists describe as political prisoners, a statement on the president’s website said Saturday.  The announcement came amid persistent oppression in the run-up to presidential elections next month that are likely to extend Lukashenko’s decadeslong rule.  Belarusian officials did not provide the names of those released, but the statement posted on the website of the president said that all of them had been convicted of “crimes of an extremist nature.”  The statement said the group included 11 women and 14 of those pardoned suffered from chronic illnesses.  “All of those released repented for their actions and appealed to the head of state to be pardoned,” the presidential administration said in a statement, using wording familiar from a series of previous group pardons in the past six months.  Saturday’s announcement marks the eighth such pardon by Lukashenko since the summer of 2024. In all, 207 political prisoners have been freed, according to Belarus’ oldest and most established human rights group, Viasna.  Most were jailed following mass anti-government protests in 2020, when Lukashenko secured his sixth term in a vote widely condemned as fraudulent.  According to Viasna, over 1,250 political prisoners remain behind bars. No prominent opposition figures, many of whom have not been heard from for months on end, have been released.  They include Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Viasna founder Ales Bialiatski; Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who planned to challenge Lukashenko at the ballot box in 2020 but was jailed before the vote; and Viktar Babaryka, who was also imprisoned after gaining popularity before the election.  The mass pardons come amid a new wave of repression, said Viasna activist Pavel Sapelka, as Minsk prepares to hold new presidential elections in January 2025 that are likely to hand Lukashenko a seventh term in office.  “Lukashenko is sending contradictory signals (to the West), pardoning some but jailing twice as many political prisoners in their place,” Sapelka said. “Repression is intensifying, and authorities are trying to root out any signs of dissent before the January elections.”  Belarusian authorities engineer harsh conditions for political prisoners, denying them meetings with lawyers and relatives, and depriving them of medical care. At least seven political prisoners have died behind bars since 2020, according to Viasna.  Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for more than 30 years, is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, … “Belarus’ leader pardons 20 more prisoners; rights groups say repression continues” →

by Mirits

Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ dies at 73

LONDON — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet,” has died, her family said on social media Saturday. She was 73.  Hussey died on Friday, “peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones,” a statement posted to her Instagram account said.  Hussey was 15 when director Franco Zeffirelli cast her in his adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy after spotting her onstage in the play “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” which also starred Vanessa Redgrave.  “Romeo and Juliet” won two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new actress for her part as Juliet, opposite British actor Leonard Whiting, who was 16 at the time.  Decades later, Hussey and Whiting brought a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures alleging sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud over nude scenes in the film.  They alleged that they were initially told they would wear flesh-colored undergarments in a bedroom scene, but on the day of the shoot Zeffirelli told the pair they would wear only body makeup, and that the camera would be positioned in a way that would not show nudity. They alleged they were filmed in the nude without their knowledge.  The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles County judge in 2023, who found their depiction could not be considered child pornography and the pair filed their claim too late.  Whiting was among those paying tribute to Hussey on Saturday. “Rest now my beautiful Juliet no injustices can hurt you now. And the world will remember your beauty inside and out forever,” he wrote.  Hussey was born on April 17, 1951, in Bueno Aires, Argentina, and moved to London as a child. She studied at the Italia Conti Academy drama school.  She also starred as Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the 1977 television series “Jesus of Nazareth,” as well as in the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Death on the Nile” and horror movies “Black Christmas” and “Psycho IV: The Beginning.”  She is survived by her husband, David Glen Eisley, her three children and a grandson.  …

by Mirits

Turkish FM discusses with Blinken need to cooperate with new Syrian administration

ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkey’s foreign minister discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday the need to act in cooperation with the new Syrian administration to ensure the completion of the transition period in an orderly manner, the ministry said.  In a phone call, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Blinken that Ankara would not allow Kurdish YPG militia to take shelter in Syria, the ministry spokesperson said.  During the call, Blinken emphasized the need to support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that “upholds human rights and prioritizes an inclusive and representative government,” according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.  Blinken and Fidan also discussed preventing terrorism from endangering the security of Turkey and Syria, the statement said.  …

by Tage

Elon Musk vows ‘war’ over H-1B visas in rift with Trump supporters

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA — Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, vowed to go to “war” to defend the H-1B visa program for foreign tech workers late Friday amid a dispute between President-elect Donald Trump’s longtime supporters and his most recently acquired backers from the tech industry.  In a post on social media platform X, Musk said, “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B.”  “I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend,” he added.  Musk, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in South Africa, has held an H-1B visa, and his electric-car company Tesla obtained 724 of the visas this year. H-1B visas are typically for three-year periods, though holders can extend them or apply for green cards.  Musk’s tweet was directed at Trump’s supporters and immigration hardliners who have increasingly pushed for the H-1B visa program to be scrapped amid a heated debate over immigration and the place of skilled immigrants and foreign workers brought into the country on work visas.  Trump has so far remained silent on the issue. The Trump transition did not respond to a request for comment on Musk’s tweets and the H-1B visa debate.  In the past, Trump has expressed a willingness to provide more work visas to skilled workers. He has also promised to deport all immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, deploy tariffs to help create more jobs for American citizens, and severely restrict immigration.  The issue highlights how tech leaders such as Musk — who has taken an important role in the presidential transition, advising on key personnel and policy areas — are now drawing scrutiny from his base.  The U.S. tech industry relies on the government’s H-1B visa program to hire foreign skilled workers to help run its companies, a labor force that critics say undercuts wages for American citizens.  The altercation was set off this week by far-right activists who criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American venture capitalist, to be an adviser on artificial intelligence, saying he would have influence on the Trump administration’s immigration policies.  On Friday, Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump confidante, critiqued “big tech oligarchs” for supporting the H-1B program and cast immigration as a threat to Western civilization.  In response, Musk … “Elon Musk vows ‘war’ over H-1B visas in rift with Trump supporters” →

by Mirits

Bloodied Ukrainian troops risk losing hard-won land in Kursk to Russia

KYIV, UKRAINE — Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied and demoralized by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk, a region some want to hold at all costs while others question the value of having gone in at all.  Battles are so intense that some Ukrainian commanders can’t evacuate the dead. Communication lags and poorly timed tactics have cost lives, and troops have little way to counterattack, seven frontline soldiers and commanders told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity so they could discuss sensitive operations.  Since being caught unaware by the lightning Ukrainian incursion, Russia has amassed more than 50,000 troops in the region, including some from its ally North Korea. Precise numbers are hard to obtain, but Moscow’s counterattack has killed and wounded thousands and the overstretched Ukrainians have lost more than 40% of the 984 square kilometers of Kursk they seized in August.  Its full-scale invasion three years ago left Russia holding a fifth of Ukraine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hinted that he hopes controlling Kursk will help force Moscow to negotiate an end to the war. But five Ukrainian and Western officials in Kyiv who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss sensitive military matters said they fear gambling on Kursk will weaken the whole 1,000-kilometer front line, and Ukraine is losing precious ground in the east.  “We have, as they say, hit a hornet’s nest. We have stirred up another hot spot,” said Stepan Lutsiv, a major in the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade.  Border raid turned occupation  Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has said that Ukraine launched the operation because officials thought Russia was about to launch a new attack on northeast Ukraine.  It began on August 5 with an order to leave Ukraine’s Sumy region for what they thought would be a nine-day raid to stun the enemy. It became an occupation that Ukrainians welcomed as their smaller country gained leverage and embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Gathering his men, one company commander told them: “We’re making history; the whole world will know about us because this hasn’t been done since World War II.  Privately, he was less certain.  “It seemed crazy,” he said. “I didn’t understand why.”  Shocked by the success achieved largely because the Russians were caught by surprise, the Ukrainians were ordered to advance beyond the original mission to the town of Korenevo, 25 … “Bloodied Ukrainian troops risk losing hard-won land in Kursk to Russia” →

by Mirits

Ukrainian soldiers find rest, restoration at Carpathian mountain retreat

As Russia’s war against Ukraine enters its third year, centers focused on soldiers’ rehabilitation and mental health are appearing across Ukraine. An active serviceman started one such place in his native village in the Carpathian Mountains. Omelyan Oshchudlyak has the story. Videographer and video editor: Yuriy Dankevych …

by Tage

Trump energy plans complicated by tariffs, global competition

A different approach to energy is at the center of President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to bring down the cost of living for Americans. But as VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports, Trump’s plans could be complicated by a complex global interdependence on oil and gas supplies. …

by Mirits

Putin apologizes to Azerbaijan for ‘tragic incident’ of plane crash

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a “tragic incident” following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people. The Kremlin said in a statement that air defense systems were firing near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, due to a Ukrainian drone strike as the plane attempted to land Wednesday. It stopped short of saying the plane was shot down by Russian air defenses. According to a Kremlin readout of the call, Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace.” The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan and crashed while trying to land. There were 29 survivors. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon. Friday’s assessments by Rashan Nabiyev and White House national security spokesperson John Kirby echoed those made by outside aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. Neither Kirby nor the Azerbaijani minister directly addressed the statements blaming air defenses. Kirby told reporters Friday that the U.S. has “seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems,” but he refused to elaborate, citing an ongoing investigation. Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s minister of digital development and transportation, told Azerbaijani media that “preliminary conclusions by experts point to external impact,” as does witness testimony. Passengers and crew who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it was circling over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said that after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau in Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea. He didn’t comment on statements from some aviation experts who pointed out that holes seen in the plane’s tail section suggested that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems. Earlier this week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that the pilots … “Putin apologizes to Azerbaijan for ‘tragic incident’ of plane crash” →

by Mirits

Turkey’s pro-Kurd party to meet jailed PKK leader on Saturday

ISTANBUL — A delegation from Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish DEM party is due on Saturday to visit jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence on a prison island off Istanbul, a party source said. “The delegation left in the morning,” the source told AFP, without elaborating how they would travel to the island for security reasons. The visit would be the party’s first in almost 10 years. DEM’s predecessor, the HDP party, last met Ocalan in April 2015. On Friday, the government approved DEM’s request to visit Ocalan, who founded the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, nearly half a century ago and has languished in solitary confinement since 1999. The PKK is regarded as a terror organization by Turkey and most of its Western allies, including the United States and European Union. The DEM party delegation is made up of two lawmakers — Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan. They are not expected to make a statement after the visit, the same source told AFP. Detained 25 years ago in a Hollywood-style operation by Turkish security forces in Kenya after years on the run, Ocalan was sentenced to death. He escaped the gallows when Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004 and is spending his remaining years in an isolation cell on the Imrali prison island south of Istanbul. Saturday’s rare visit became possible after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s nationalist ally Devlet Bahceli invited Ocalan to come to parliament to renounce “terror” and to disband the militant group. Bahceli, who heads the ultra-nationalist MHP party, is fiercely hostile to the PKK. Erdogan backed the unprecedented appeal as a “historic window of opportunity.” “My dear Kurdish brothers, we expect you to firmly grasp [Bahceli’s] sincerely outstretched hand,” he said in October, urging them to join in efforts to build what he called the “century of Turkey.” Soon after Bahceli’s call, Ocalan was allowed his first family visit since March 2020, prompting DEM to make its own request to the Justice Ministry to visit the 75-year-old militant. PKK militants subsequently claimed responsibility for an attack in October on a Turkish defense firm that killed five. That delayed the government approval of DEM’s request. For several years up to 2015, Ocalan was engaged in talks with authorities, when then-Prime Minister Erdogan called for a solution for what is often called Turkey’s “Kurdish problem.” The peace process and a truce collapsed in 2015, … “Turkey’s pro-Kurd party to meet jailed PKK leader on Saturday” →

by Mirits

Ukraine says it struck drone depot in Russia’s Oryol region

Ukraine said on Saturday it had struck a storage and maintenance depot for long-range Shahed drones in Russia’s Oryol region, adding that this had “significantly reduced” Russia’s ability to launch mass drone attacks on Ukraine. Ukraine military’s general staff said in a statement on Telegram the attack took place on Thursday and was conducted by Ukraine’s air force. “As a result of the strike, a depot for storage, maintenance and repair of Shahed kamikaze drones, made of several protected concrete structures, was destroyed,” it said. “This military operation has significantly reduced the enemy’s potential in terms of conducting air raids of strike drones on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.” Moscow has not made any comment on the attack. Russia has regularly launched missile and drone attacks on Ukraine throughout its 34-month invasion. For the past several months, Moscow has launched near-daily barrages of dozens of drones at Ukraine, hoping to damage its infrastructure and wear down air defenses leaving them less able to shoot down missiles. Ukraine’s air force said earlier on Saturday it had downed 15 out of 16 drones launched by Russia overnight, with the other one disappearing from radar. …

by Mirits

Somali migrant who survived boat sinking wants to try again for Europe

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Idil Abdullahi Goley’s journey seeking a better life in Europe started in Somalia with a $6,500 payment to local smugglers. It ended a month later with fellow migrants around her dying at sea, one of them screaming and reciting the Muslim profession of faith.  The deaths of 25 migrants last month in boats off the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar brought to light yet another route that some in Africa are taking in dangerous bids for Europe.  Goley was one of the 48 people rescued. She spoke to The Associated Press about the journey that thousands of Somalis embark on every year as extremist attacks and climate shocks destroy hopes and livelihoods at home.  Some Somalis head for the Gulf countries via the Red Sea and Yemen. Others, like Goley, gamble on a longer sea voyage south, toward the French island territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, the poorest territory in the European Union.  Somalis are among an estimated 100,000 migrants living in Mayotte, according to French authorities. The migrants are part of communities affected after Cyclone Chido leveled entire neighborhoods on December 14.  The International Organization for Migration has estimated that 2 million people migrated from Somalia in 2021 in search of work, the latest data available.  Children left behind Goley, 28, heard about the smugglers from friends who had traveled the route and raised the $6,500 fee from her small tea shop business in the capital, Mogadishu, and from her brother and mother. She hoped to reach Europe and pay them back. She left her three small children behind.  Her journey began with a flight from Mogadishu to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Then she and others took a bus to the port city of Mombasa, where they set off in fishing boats for Mayotte, more than 620 miles (997 kilometers) away. They hoped to request asylum there.  After three days at sea, the group of about 70 migrants was transferred to smaller boats, whose engines started to fail. The smugglers said they would fix the engines and left with them on another boat, leaving the migrants drifting without water and food. They started catching fish and collecting rainwater to survive.  It was nearly cyclone season, and waves were choppy.  Goley said she tried to save the life of an infant whose mother was also on board but struggling.  “But she died right in front of me. … “Somali migrant who survived boat sinking wants to try again for Europe” →

by Tage

US agency says decongestant in many cold medicines doesn’t work. So what does?

WASHINGTON — Changes are coming to the cold and cough aisle of your local pharmacy: U.S. officials are moving to phase out the leading decongestant found in hundreds of over-the-counter medicines, concluding that it doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion. Phenylephrine is used in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other medications, but experts have long questioned its effectiveness. Last month the Food and Drug Administration formally proposed revoking its use in pills and liquid solutions, kicking off a process that’s likely to force drugmakers to remove or reformulate products. It’s a win for skeptical academics, including researchers at the University of Florida who petitioned the FDA to revisit the drug’s use in 2007 and again in 2015. For consumers it will likely mean switching to alternatives, including an older decongestant that was moved behind the pharmacy counter nearly 20 years ago. Doctors say Americans will be better off without phenylephrine, which is often combined with other medicines to treat cold, flu, fever and allergies. “People walk into the drugstore today and see 55,000 medicines on the shelf and they pick one that is definitely not going to work,” said Dr. Brian Schroer of the Cleveland Clinic. “You take away that option and it will be easier for them to self-direct toward products that really will help them.” Why is FDA doing this now? The FDA decision was expected after federal advisers last year voted unanimously that oral phenylephrine medications haven’t been shown to relieve congestion. Experts reviewed several recent, large studies indicating that phenylephrine was no better than a placebo at clearing nasal passageways. They also revisited studies from the 1960s and 1970s that supported the drug’s initial use, finding numerous flaws and questionable data. The panel’s opinion only applied to phenylephrine in oral medications, which account for roughly $1.8 billion in annual U.S. sales. The drug is still considered effective in nasal sprays, though those are much less popular. Phenylephrine wasn’t always the top choice for cold and allergy products. Many were originally formulated with a different drug, pseudoephedrine. But a 2006 law required pharmacies to move pseudoephedrine products behind the counter, citing their potential to be processed into methamphetamine. Companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Bayer decided to reformulate their products to keep them readily available on store shelves — and labeled many of them as “PE” versions of familiar brand names. What are some alternatives for congestion? … “US agency says decongestant in many cold medicines doesn’t work. So what does?” →

by Tage

CDC says bird flu virus likely mutated within a US patient

A genetic analysis suggests the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the nation’s first severe case of the illness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. Scientists believe the mutations may allow the virus to better bind to receptors in the upper airways of humans — something they say is concerning but not a cause for alarm. Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious-disease researcher, likened this binding interaction to a lock and key. To enter a cell, the virus needs to have a key that turns the lock, and this finding means the virus may be changing to have a key that might work. “Is this an indication that we may be closer to seeing a readily transmitted virus between people? No,” Osterholm said. “Right now, this is a key that sits in the lock, but it doesn’t open the door.” The virus has been causing sporadic, mostly mild illnesses in people in the United States; nearly all of those infected worked on dairy or poultry farms. The patient in the U.S. state of Louisiana was hospitalized in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms from bird flu after coming in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. The person, who has not been identified, is older than 65 and has underlying medical problems, officials said earlier this month. The CDC stressed there has been no known transmission of the virus from the Louisiana patient to anyone else. The agency said its findings about the mutations were “concerning,” but the risk to the general public from the outbreak “has not changed and remains low.” Still, Osterholm said, scientists should continue to follow what’s happening with mutations carefully. “There will be additional influenza pandemics, and they could be much worse than we saw with COVID,” he said. “We know that the pandemic clock is ticking. We just don’t know what time it is.” …

by Tage

US proposes cybersecurity rules to limit impact of health data leaks

Health care organizations may be required to bolster their cybersecurity to better prevent sensitive information from being leaked by cyberattacks like the ones that hit Ascension and UnitedHealth, a senior White House official said Friday. Anne Neuberger, the U.S. deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, told reporters that proposed requirements are necessary in light of the massive number of Americans whose data has been affected by large breaches of health care information. The proposals include encrypting data so it cannot be accessed, even if leaked, and requiring compliance checks to ensure networks meet cybersecurity rules. The full proposed rule was posted to the Federal Register on Friday, and the Department of Health and Human Services posted a more condensed breakdown on its website. She said that the health care information of more than 167 million people was affected in 2023 as a result of cybersecurity incidents. The proposed rule from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within HHS would update standards under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and would cost an estimated $9 billion in the first year, and $6 billion in years two through five, Neuberger said. “We’ve made some significant proposals that we think will improve cybersecurity and ultimately everyone’s health information, if any of these proposals are ultimately finalized,” an OCR spokesperson told Reuters late Friday. The next step in the process is a 60-day public comment period before any final decisions will be made. Large health care breaches caused by hacking and ransomware have increased by 89% and 102%, respectively, since 2019, Neuberger said. “In this job, one of the most concerning and really troubling things we deal with is hacking of hospitals, hacking of health care data,” she said. Hospitals have been forced to operate manually and Americans’ sensitive health care data, mental health information and other information are “being leaked on the dark web with the opportunity to blackmail individuals,” Neuberger said. …

by Tage

US sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies from cancer at age 78

NEW YORK — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife, Marcy Gumbel, and daughter, Michelle Gumbel, said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 because of what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, Gumbel announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time,” said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’s coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’s NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season. …