CharlieH

Russia and Ukraine launched more than a dozen drones at each other’s territory for a second day on Sunday, one of which apparently targeted a Russian military airport, while a Ukrainian civilian was killed after drone debris slammed into his house near the Black Sea. At least 35 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over three regions in south-western Russia, the Russian defence ministry said in a post on the messaging app Telegram. A Russian airbase hosting bomber aircraft used in Ukraine was among the targets, according to a Russian Telegram channel critical of the Kremlin. The channel posted short videos of drones flying over low-rise housing in what it claimed was the Russian town of Morozovsk, whose airbase is home to Russia’s 559th bomber aviation regiment. Vasily Golubev, the governor of Russia’s Rostov province, also reported “mass drone strikes” near Morozovsk and another town farther west, but did not mention the airbase. Golubev said most the drones were shot down and there were no casualties. He did not comment on any damage. Also on Sunday morning, Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched overnight by Russian troops in southern and western Ukraine, as well as one X-59 cruise missile launched from Russian-occupied Ukraine in the south. A civilian was killed overnight near Odesa, a key port on Ukraine’s southern Black Sea, after the remnants of a destroyed drone fell on his house, Ukraine’s military said. FULL STORY

MOVED to Health Forum

He either gave up for the day or more likely was at the wrong address ! I've had a few, "no answer" when we've been home all day.

Multiple posts have been removed due to persistent contravention of Community Guidelines.

At a campaign rally in Durham, N.H., former President Trump said under the Biden administration “the American dream is dead” in his latest remarks against Biden. “Joe Biden and the Democrat Party are incapable of solving any problem. They haven’t solved anything, they’ve only created problems,” Trump said. “As long as Joe Biden is in the White House, the American Dream is dead.” Trump continued, saying things will change the minute polls close next November because he will win again and “that crooked Joe Biden” would be gone. The former president predicted that it would be a “historic victory by Christmas of next year.” He then said the economy would be roaring back, energy prices would plummet and the “hoards” of migrants crossing the border “will have ended,” which earned him cheers and applause. Trump, who is polling ahead of the other Republican presidential candidates in New Hampshire, asked voters to help him secure the nomination before anyone else could find their footing, the Associated Press reported. According to polling in the state from The Hill’s partner Decision Desk HQ, Trump has a decent lead with 45.9 percent of support. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is in second with 20.8 percent. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) trails behind with 12.8 percent, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 8.9 percent and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy at 8.6 percent. FULL STORY

Third T20, Grenada West Indies 222-6 (20 overs): Pooran 82 (45), Powell 39 (21); Rashid 2-32 England 226-3 (19.5 overs): Salt 109* (56), Buttler 51 (34), Brook 31* (7) England won by seven wickets Scorecard Phil Salt's stunning century helped England pull off their third-highest T20 international chase as they beat West Indies by seven wickets in the third T20 in Grenada. Salt brought up his first T20 international hundred off 51 balls and finished unbeaten on 109, with Harry Brook smashing the 21 runs needed off the final over to ensure England chased 223 with a ball to spare in an incredible win. Nicholas Pooran's 45-ball 82 led West Indies to 222-6 as Adil Rashid finished the pick of the England attack by taking 2-32. England are 2-1 down in the five-match series with two left to play. Salt and Jos Buttler both passed fifty as they put on 115 for the first wicket to give England hope, with Salt, who hit nine sixes and four fours, continuing the brutal hitting after his captain was out for 51. England needed 31 to win off the final two overs but Alzarri Joseph held his nerve in the penultimate over as he conceded only 10 to give the hosts the upper hand. But Brook, who was on seven from two balls heading into the final over, calmly hit a four and two sixes off the experienced Andre Russell's first three balls to put England on the brink of victory. He and Salt then ran two before Brook flashed at a wide one from Russell and it flew over the boundary at deep third. The fourth T20 is in Trinidad on Tuesday. FULL STORY

Three Israeli hostages mistakenly killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza were shot dead while holding a white cloth, an Israeli military official says. The official said the case was "against our rules of engagement" and an investigation was happening at the "highest level". The hostages - Yotam Haim, 28, Samer Talalka, 22, and Alon Shamriz, 26 - were killed in Shejaiya on Friday. Israeli troops have been facing stiff resistance in the area near Gaza City. The case has added pressure on Israeli authorities to reach a deal for the release of the more than 120 captives who remain in Gaza. The wait of their families has gripped Israel, as the military carries out its offensive against Hamas. Speaking at a news conference, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no let-up in the Israeli operations. "Military pressure is necessary both for the return of the hostages and for victory. Without military pressure... we have nothing," he said. Hamas, for its part, said it had told mediators there would be no negotiations to release hostages "unless the aggression against our people stops once and for all". An Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said an initial investigation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) suggested the three hostages emerged shirtless from a building, with one carrying a stick with a white cloth. One of the soldiers, the official added, felt threatened, as the men were at a distance of tens of metres, declared them "terrorists" and opened fire. Two were immediately killed while the third, wounded, returned to the building. A cry for help was heard in Hebrew and the battalion commander ordered the troops to cease fire. The wounded hostage later re-emerged, and was shot and killed, the official said. The hostages had either been abandoned by their captors or escaped, the official added. A building with a message SOS was found in the area, and the authorities were investigating whether it was linked to the killed hostages. FULL STORY

Liverpool and Scotland legend Sir Kenny Dalglish will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The 72-year-old won eight league titles and three European Cups as a player and manager at Anfield after joining the club from Celtic in 1977. Dalglish, who also led Blackburn to the title, is Scotland's most-capped male player and joint record goalscorer. "Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award is truly an honour," he said. "I have always believed in the importance of team success, and I wouldn't be where I am today without all of the players I've played with, the people I've worked for, and the supporters that stood by me, so this is for them." Archive: Kenny Dalglish's five finest moments in football Glasgow-born Dalglish began his career at Celtic, where he won four Scottish league titles before Liverpool paid a then British record transfer fee of £440,000 to sign him. In his first season with the Merseyside club he scored 31 goals, including the only goal in the 1978 European Cup final against Bruges at Wembley. He would go on to win a further two European Cups and five league titles before becoming player-manager at the age of 35 in May 1985. "To go from the dressing room to the manager's office, I wasn't always the most comfortable, but I had fantastic support from senior people at Liverpool," Dalglish said. FULL STORY

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer is "stable" after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during the abandoned Premier League match at Bournemouth, his club confirmed. Both sets of players were taken off midway through the second half as Lockyer received medical treatment. The 29-year-old was responsive as he was carried off on a stretcher to applause and taken to hospital. Luton said Lockyer was "stable and currently undergoing further tests". "Our medical staff have confirmed that the Hatters captain [Tom Lockyer] suffered cardiac arrest on the pitch, but was responsive by the time he was taken off on the stretcher," Luton said. "He received further treatment inside the stadium, for which we once again thank the medical teams from both sides. "Tom was transferred to hospital, where we can reassure supporters that he is stable and currently undergoing further tests with his family at his bedside." Following confirmation the game was abandoned, both the Luton and Bournemouth players came back out on to the pitch to applaud the supporters, with Hatters manager Rob Edwards visibly emotional. Lockyer collapsed during the play-off final win against Coventry in May before being taken to hospital. FULL STORY

Does this suit your sensitivities any better M'lord..... https://people.com/mark-zuckerberg-s-hawaii-super-compound-reportedly-includes-a-secret-underground-bunker-8416854 You may not like the Tiktok platform, doesnt mean its all trash. There are plenty reporting on it https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-jeff-bezos-are-chasing-bunkers-and-space-travel-2023-12

In most cases, you would need to show the regular monthly deposits from overseas and they are marked as such by the bank with a code,You show the bank statements to the immigration. You need to go to your immigration office and ask/confirm with them exactly what they want.Offices do vary. Get it from the horses mouth.

Reported video removed.

OK, enough on that. CLOSED

The staff at the bank follow procedures, do not flex, and tick boxes. The procedure stops them in their tracks. When I had an issue, I insisted that my wife talk with the branch manager, not any of the staff. The manager has the power to use his or her discretion and tell the staff to do what is needed. That said, it seems you need a new card issued; you are NOT their to sign the paperwork, signature verification ID check etc so I dont see how they are going to bypass that critical step in the procedure. What you may be able to ask, just a suggestion, is the number of that new card issued and the branch to hold the actual card until you return in person. That would give you the details you need for the online aspect.Its doubtful, but worth a try as a work-around. Good luck, do tell us how it went.

@swissie If you want to start a topic, it can then be "pinned" at the head of this finance section and if there is sufficient interest and participation that could then be split off later into its own sub-forum. So, yes it can be done, step by step.

Not a forum Support issue, moved to Visa forum

Pornhub has released its global yearly report, revealing the most-searched fetishes of 2023. Users were particularly interested in 'mature' content, with searches like 'sexy granny', 'MILF', 'DILF' and 'cougar' all making the top spots. The adult website sifted through data from billions of visits to see what content defined the year's tastes, finding the top category was 'The Golden Age.' IN general, 2023 was a breakout year for artificial intelligence, and Pornhub's results show that this also extended to pornography, with searches for 'android' porn also popular. Dr. Laurie Betito of the Sexual Wellness Center said: 'It is human nature to be curious about the extraordinary. When it comes to sex, it is no different. 'We are all voyeurs to some degree, and we want to see the extremes—what we generally don't have access to in real life.' After elderly porn, the second most popular category was 'Super Size.' Source

Looks like a mix of fermino,ogy here. O-A visa issued outside the country. Non O , extention of stay based on ....xxxxx

If you have regular monthly income exceeding 40k per month, check with your office on the combination method. 400k + income totalling 800k.If they accept that then you don't need to change anything. Or if your income is in excess of 65k per month is another alternative to changing. As mentioned, better to wait until AFTER your next renewal.

The EU has agreed to open membership talks with Ukraine. European Council President Charles Michel said on Thursday: “The European Council has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine & Moldova.” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky declared the move a victory “for Ukraine and all of Europe”. The announcement came after Vladimir Putin inadvertently admitted that more than 300,000 Russian soldiers have died or been heavily wounded in the ongoing war. The figures are in stark contrast to the last death toll offered by the Kremlin, which suggested less than 6,000 troops in Ukraine had been killed. During his first news conference since the full-scale invasion, he suggested that 244,000 Russians had been mobilised, before adding that 486,000 had volunteered to fight. He then proceeded to say that 617,000 Russians were fighting in Ukraine. This figure roughly aligns with US estimates that were declassified earlier this week, which suggested that Russia had suffered 315,000 dead and injured troops in Ukraine. But the last time the Kremlin offered an estimate of the death toll was September 2022, in which they said only 5,937 soldiers had been killed. FULL STORY

Special Report: One little girl desperately wanted to be a YouTube star. Her brother adored football and his favourite player, Cristiano Ronaldo. Their cousin was a teenage electronics wiz. Since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, more than 7,000 children have been killed in airstrikes, artillery and mortar fire. Often entire families disappeared in an instant. Here are the stories of nine Palestinian children who’ve been killed in the war. Before the war began, Gaza’s streets teemed with children. Roughly half of the two million people who call the narrow strip of land home are under 18. At the weekend, and when school was out, the beaches, parks and playgrounds were full of the sounds of children laughing and playing. But Gaza’s children have had to endure so much in their short lives. A 15-year-old will have lived through five wars in their lifetime, including the current conflict. Many have been displaced several times because their homes were destroyed by bombing. Even so, they had never experienced destruction like this. Since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, more than 7,000 children have been killed in airstrikes, artillery and mortar fire. That number only accounts for those who have been identified, and many more likely lie beneath the rubble. Thousands have been injured. The United Nations has described Gaza as “a graveyard for thousands of children,” and “the most dangerous place in the world to be a child.” Lost in those unfathomable numbers are the faces, the names, the lives, and the moments of joy those children brought. Here are some of their stories. The confident athlete: Siwar Almadhoun, 13 Siwar was tall for her age, and she put it to good use. Basketball was her passion. She played whenever she could – at school, in her own time, in the summer – and she won trophies. There’s a video of her, taken after winning a basketball tournament, showing her dancing on a big stage in front of a crowd while confetti sprays around her and music blares. The whole team jumps up and down with their medals. She used to wear an old basketball jersey from a Florida high school all the time because it had a hoop and a ball on the front. She loved volleyball, too – another sport where her height gave her an advantage. Siwar was much more independent than most girls her age. “She didn’t care. She would go out and run errands on her own, she would go to the beach and swim. She was always doing things, she wasn’t shy at all,” says her uncle, Hani Almadhoun. She was the most outgoing of all of her siblings; despite only being 13, she brimmed with confidence. Hani remembers her always wanting to help her parents. Siwar loved to picnic. If she had a dollar in her hand she would go to a nearby restaurant with her girlfriends where they would order the same meal every time: a shawarma sandwich, pickles, a corn salad and fries. It came in a clamshell contained. FULL REPORT

Scientists now have good numbers to describe the true scale of the world's biggest iceberg, A23a. Satellite measurements show the frozen block has a total average thickness of just over 280m (920ft). Combined with its known area of 3,900 sq km (1,500 sq miles), this gives a volume of roughly 1,100 cubic km and a mass just below a trillion tonnes. The iceberg, which calved from the Antarctic coast in 1986, is about to drift beyond the White Continent. It has reached a critical point in its journey, researchers say, with the next few weeks likely to decide its future trajectory through the Southern Ocean. Attenborough ship encounters mammoth iceberg World's biggest iceberg on the move after 30 years Shackleton's lost ship found after 107 years FULL STORY

The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time high Wednesday, surpassing 37,000 for the first time, after the Federal Reserve opted to hold interest rates steady once again and signaled the possibility of rate cuts next year. The Dow closed at 37,090, up 1.4 percent, as the central bank indicated that its nearly two-year campaign of rate hikes may be coming to an end. The Fed kept its baseline interest rate at a range of 5.25 to 5.5 percent for a third consecutive meeting Wednesday, as inflation has continued to show steady improvement since hitting a 40-year high last summer. “Inflation has eased from its highs, and this has come without a significant increase in unemployment,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference following the central bank’s announcement. “That’s very good news. But inflation is still too high.” Powell and Fed officials are hoping to bring inflation back down to 2 percent. The latest data released by the Labor Department on Tuesday showed consumer prices up 3.1 percent annually in November. The U.S. economy has remained surprisingly resilient in the face of the Fed’s aggressive rate hike campaign, with the unemployment rate remaining below 4 percent and widespread predictions of a recession failing to materialize so far. While the central bank has said little about its plans for 2024, all but three members of its Federal Open Market Committee — the panel responsible for monetary policy decisions — expect at least two rate cuts next year. FULL STORY