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In 1935, archaeologists discovered a mysterious mummy beneath a tomb at Deir Elbahari, near Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes. The body, believed to be that of a woman, was found in a burial chamber beneath the site of Senmut, the architect and overseer of royal works, and reportedly the lover of Queen Hatshepsut, who lived from 1479 to 1458 BCE. When the mummy was unwrapped, her mouth was wide open, giving the eerie appearance of a scream. Initially, this expression was thought to be the result of a sloppy embalming process, suggesting that the woman was not of significant importance. Typically, embalmers would close the jaw and seal it with bandages. However, new research by Cairo University has revealed a different story. The initial examinations indicated that her organs had not been removed, which, along with the open mouth, led experts to believe she had not been worthy of a full embalming. However, a detailed analysis has shown that she was embalmed with expensive imported oils of frankincense and juniper, and her wig was treated with quartz, magnetite, and albite crystals. These findings suggest she was of high status, as the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun also contained frankincense and juniper. Dr. Sahar Saleem, a professor of radiology at Kasr Al Ainy Hospital of Cairo University, stated, "The mummy’s screaming facial expression in this study could be read as a cadaveric spasm, implying that the woman died screaming from agony or pain." Cadaveric spasm is a rare form of muscular stiffening typically associated with violent deaths under extreme physical conditions and intense emotion. Experts believe the woman was mummified quickly after death before her jaw relaxed, leaving embalmers unable to close her mouth as usual. Dr. Saleem added, "The Screaming Woman is a true 'time capsule' of the way that she died and was mummified. Here we show that she was embalmed with costly, imported embalming material. This, and the mummy’s well-preserved appearance, contradicts the traditional belief that a failure to remove her inner organs implied poor mummification." The new study suggests she was likely an important relative of Senmut, whose fate remains unknown. He left public life abruptly during Hatshepsut’s reign and, despite planning two elaborate tombs for himself, was not buried in either. Radiographers used CT scans to "virtually dissect" the screaming mummy and estimate her age, health, and state of preservation. The tests showed she was around 48 years old when she died and just over 5ft tall. There was no obvious cause of death, but the presence of osteophytes, or bone spurs, on her vertebrae indicated she had mild arthritis of the spine. She lacked several teeth, which were probably lost before death as there was evidence of bone resorption, which occurs when a tooth comes out and the socket is left to heal. Other teeth were broken. The mummy showed no embalming incision, consistent with the discovery that the brain, diaphragm, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, and intestines were still present. The classic method of mummification in the New Kingdom (1550–1069 BCE) included the removal of all such organs except the heart. The woman was buried in a painted wooden coffin and wore two scarab rings in silver and gold. This research was published in *Frontiers in Medicine* and provides new insights into the life and death of this mysterious woman, whose agonizing final moments have been preserved for millennia. Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-03 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Justin Mohn, accused of decapitating his father and posting a video of the severed head online, has been declared competent to stand trial. The ruling, made by Judge Stephen Corr after a nearly five-hour hearing, means that Mohn will face charges of first-degree murder, abusing a corpse, and other related crimes. Mohn, dressed in a yellow jumpsuit with “inmate” printed on the back and hands cuffed in front of him, attended the hearing where he frequently smiled, nodded, or shook his head during testimony. The judge also granted Mohn’s request to dismiss his public defender and appoint a new attorney, to which Mohn responded affirmatively when asked if he would cooperate with the new lawyer. The case has garnered significant attention due to the nature of the crime and Mohn's subsequent arrest at a National Guard base, two hours away from his Levittown home. The video of the decapitation, which had already been widely viewed online, added to the case's notoriety. During the hearing, Dr. Kelly Chamberlain, a forensic psychologist and prosecution witness, testified that Mohn appeared intelligent, calm, and socially appropriate during her two meetings with him. She noted that Mohn disagreed with his attorney’s strategy of using a mental health defense, suggesting that he was appropriately self-interested. Chamberlain disputed the findings of defense expert Dr. John Markey, who initially diagnosed Mohn with schizophrenia but later revised it to delusional disorder. Markey pointed to Mohn’s claims of being the messiah and his belief in being persecuted by the federal government. Mohn’s delusions extended to thinking his public defender was a federal agent working against him, and he even wrote a letter to Russia’s ambassador to the United States seeking refuge, while apologizing to President Vladimir Putin for claiming to be the czar of Russia. “It’s all delusional,” Markey stated. Chamberlain, however, interpreted Mohn’s claims differently. She believed that while his writings could be seen as delusional, they were more rhetorical, indicating his feeling of being wronged by society. She mentioned that Mohn wrote about “Satanic” cults within the U.S. believing he was the messiah, a point Mohn agreed with during her testimony. Corrections officer Ralph Taylor, another prosecution witness, described Mohn as “extremely polite” and respectful in jail, further supporting the prosecution’s argument that Mohn was competent to participate in his legal defense. Judge Corr directly questioned Mohn at the start of the proceedings, and Mohn demonstrated an understanding of the charges against him, including the “most serious” charge of first-degree murder. Prosecutors allege that Mohn fatally shot his father, Michael Mohn, with a pistol before using a kitchen knife and machete to decapitate him. Justin Mohn then recorded a video holding his father’s head, identifying him as a 20-year federal employee, and calling for violence against the government. Blood stains and a computer with several open tabs, including YouTube, were found in the room where the video was recorded. In the video, Mohn espoused various conspiracy theories and ranted about the Biden administration, immigration, fiscal policy, urban crime, and the war in Ukraine. The video was available on YouTube for several hours before being taken down. Justin Mohn is being held without bail and faces charges of first-degree murder, abusing a corpse, and possession of instruments of crime. The ruling of his competency ensures that the case will proceed to trial, where the gruesome details and Mohn’s mental state will be scrutinized in the courtroom. Credit: NBC News 2024-08-03 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Russia and its close ally Belarus have successfully negotiated a significant prisoner exchange with the United States and Germany. This deal has resulted in the release of several high-profile detainees, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and the Russian-British journalist and Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza. Additionally, some Russian dissidents, allies of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, were freed and allowed to leave Russia. While the release of these individuals is undoubtedly good news, the stark reality remains that Russia has effectively engaged in hostage-taking, leveraging the lives of innocent people for strategic gains. This exchange marks one of the largest of its kind since the Cold War, during which the United States and the Soviet Union typically traded spies quietly and in small numbers. Notably, one of the largest Cold War exchanges occurred in 1985, when 25 East German political prisoners were traded for three Soviet spies and one Polish agent. In the post-Cold War era, a significant exchange involved ten deep-cover Russian spies arrested by the FBI in 2010, who were traded for four prisoners from Russia. The scale of the current exchange raises questions about why the Russians have chosen to act now and release such a large number of prisoners. The underlying reason for this exchange appears to be that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his advisors believe the timing and the balance of assets are finally in their favor. They have strategically arrested individuals on minor or fabricated charges, using them as bargaining chips until the West offered enough in return to make the deal worthwhile for Moscow. An earlier attempt to negotiate the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner, as reported by CNN, failed because the United States alone could not offer a prisoner held in Germany. This time, however, the Russians included a German citizen, arrested for possession of cannabis gummies, alongside more prominent detainees, tipping the scales in their favor. Prisoner swaps serve multiple purposes for Russia, regardless of the timing. Firstly, they create a false equivalence between the West and Russia in the public eye. By framing these exchanges as "prisoner swaps," the media inadvertently suggest a level of parity: both sides have prisoners and make deals. This obscures the fact that while the West holds Russian murderers and spies, Russia detains Western journalists and ordinary citizens. Secondly, and more critically, these swaps send a clear message to those doing the Kremlin's bidding overseas: Putin will not abandon them. Unlike the disavowal of agents depicted in American media like "Mission: Impossible," Putin reassures his operatives that he will go to great lengths to bring them home if they are caught. Despite the grim motivations behind these deals, democracies are compelled to engage in them to protect their citizens. The lives of innocent individuals matter, and efforts to bring them back to their families are paramount. However, each successful deal reinforces Putin's assurance to his agents and hitmen that their crimes will not go unpunished, as he will always work to secure their release. Negotiating these deals is a lengthy process, taking weeks, months, or even years. Consequently, it is unwise to link this deal too closely to American politics. The Kremlin operates on its own timeline, independent of U.S. electoral cycles, and is indifferent to whether the deal benefits President Joe Biden or undermines former President Donald Trump's claims of unique efficacy in securing releases. To the Kremlin, such considerations are mere background noise. The timing of the deal likely coincides with a strategic decision to act when the terms were most favorable, rather than waiting for a new administration. While the release of Gershkovich, Whelan, Kara-Murza, and others is cause for celebration among Americans and their European allies, it is crucial to recognize that the Kremlin has achieved its goals. This exchange serves as a reminder to Westerners that setting foot in Russia could result in becoming the next bargaining chip for future deals. As part of this exchange, the Russians are set to receive a mix of criminals, including Vadim Krasikov, a colonel in the Russian intelligence services sentenced to life in a German prison for executing a Kremlin-ordered hit on a dissident in Berlin. Moscow's demands also reportedly include a Russian money launderer in an American prison and two Russian spies apprehended in Slovenia. This strategic maneuvering by the Kremlin underscores the ongoing geopolitical chess game, where human lives are regrettably used as pawns to achieve broader political objectives. Credit: The Atlantic 2024-08-03 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Huw Edwards is the latest in a long line of high-profile controversies at the BBC, raising the persistent question: will they ever learn from their mistakes? This familiar refrain greets scandal after scandal at the BBC. Lessons had to be learned after the prolific sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile was finally exposed. Again, they needed learning after the corporation was found to have covered up "deceitful behaviour" by journalist Martin Bashir to secure his Panorama interview with Princess Diana. Lessons were the order of the day after Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross made their infamous prank call to actor Andrew Sachs. Yet, to the average licence-fee payer, dismayed but perhaps no longer shocked by the news of yet another scandal, these words risk ringing a little hollow. This time, it’s Huw Edwards in the frame, and once again, the BBC itself. The corporation knew in November that their star news presenter had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences. It continued to employ him for the following five months until his resignation in April. Last year, he was the BBC’s highest-paid journalist, receiving between £475,000 and £479,999, following a £40,000 salary increase. This week, he pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to three counts of making indecent images of children, bringing to a shameful end an illustrious career as the face of some of Britain’s biggest news events. If it feels like we’ve been here before, that’s probably because we have. The roll call of names is now depressingly familiar. Former BBC entertainer Rolf Harris was convicted of a string of historic indecent assaults on girls in 2014. Chris Langham, star of BBC comedy The Thick of It, was found guilty of possessing child pornography in 2007. Stuart Hall, star of BBC show It’s a Knockout, was jailed in 2013 after admitting historical indecent assaults of 13 girls, one as young as nine. Savile’s offending, revealed in 2012, was of a different order of magnitude, as was the failure of the BBC (and other organisations) to put an end to his decades-long spree of sex crimes, despite opportunities to do so arising. Edwards’ case is different, but the fact that the BBC finds itself here again raises the inevitable question of why it seems to be so plagued by scandals. One answer, say insiders, lies in the way stars are treated at the corporation. "People like Edwards at the BBC become demigods," says Robin Aitken, former BBC journalist and author of the book Can We Trust The BBC? "They think they’re above the rules." No manager, not even the director-general, is considered bigger than the on-screen talent. This leads to excessive reverence towards the big names, he suggests. Very often, BBC managers are reluctant to take on criticism of their big stars. I think there is a problem there, managing these big stars and their behaviour. If their behaviour is bad in any way, is the BBC sufficiently tough, and does it take sufficient action? I suspect not. Meirion Jones, a former BBC journalist whose Newsnight investigation into Savile was pulled, agrees the BBC treats its celebrities and star presenters "in a way that makes them think they’re almost gods." He says: "We saw that with Savile, we saw it with Russell Brand, we’ve seen it again with Edwards. There’s a feeling they are not constrained by the same rules that affect ordinary people working at the BBC." But this culture of invulnerability doesn’t only enable bad behaviour from on-screen talent, he indicates. It also seems to permeate those higher up in the corporation. In the recent past, Jones has been approached by BBC staffers telling him that when complaints are made to senior managers, it’s the complainants who are dealt with. "They end up leaving," he says. "That then means the managers tend to line up with the big names in thinking they’re all-powerful, and ordinary people who work at the BBC are not." A common complaint is quite how many of these senior managers are employed by the broadcaster, according to one former senior BBC news correspondent. "The BBC as an organisation is very top-heavy," he says. "The thing you’ll always hear from people at the coalface is, ‘Why are there so many managers, and what the hell do they do?’" Another BBC insider puts it equally bluntly: "Management is incapable of managing." This view is arguably borne out by the apparently botched handling of crisis after crisis, and what some see as a culture of cover-ups. This, indeed, was the flavour of Lord Dyson’s damning report into the Bashir affair. The review said that several senior figures knew about the duplicity the journalist deployed to land his interview with Diana and still did nothing about it. The circumstances surrounding Edwards’ downfall aren’t entirely clear-cut. While the BBC now admits it had been "made aware in confidence" in November of Edwards’ arrest, it points out that no charges had been brought against him at this time and stresses that it had "been made aware of significant risk to his health." In an interview on Thursday, Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, defended the decision not to sack Edwards back then, despite knowing that the presenter’s arrest involved the most serious category of indecent images of children. He said the corporation had taken "difficult decisions in a fair and judicious manner." But there have also been accusations by BBC employees that Edwards sent them inappropriate messages. Two complainants have said that they couldn’t report this behaviour to BBC managers. While the BBC says it always treats "the concerns of staff with care" and "would always urge any staff members to speak to us if they have any concerns," these revelations will prove uncomfortable for them. "There isn’t an open whistleblower culture," says Jones. Instead of swiftly addressing concerns and getting to the bottom of them – or what Tim Davie might call "getting a grip" – there’s a sense that a proactive approach is neglected in favour of a process that is at best slow and lumbering, and at worst, wilfully blind to possible wrongdoing. Naturally, other broadcasters are not immune from scandal. In recent years, ITV had its Phillip Schofield moment to contend with; Fox News had its Roger Ailes sexual harassment scandal (which also exposed a culture of cover-ups at the station and was turned into the film Bombshell, starring Nicole Kidman). So-called black swan events can happen anywhere. What’s notable is the frequency with which they seem to happen at the BBC. "What we’ve seen is how these black swans are now white swans," says PR guru Mark Borkowski. "It’s a constant flurry. We look at yet another scandal and shake our heads." Huw Edwards, the former News at Ten anchor, resigned from the corporation in April this year on what he said were "health grounds," three months before pleading guilty in court to making indecent images of children. Jonathan King, the music svengali and a regular BBC face throughout the 1980s and 1990s, was convicted of sexually abusing five teenage boys in 2001. Despite this, BBC director-general Mark Thompson was forced to apologise to him a decade later, in 2011, after he was cut out of a Top of The Pops repeat. Jonathan King. The music svengali, a regular BBC face throughout the 1980s and 1990s, was convicted of sexually abusing five teenage boys in 2001. Despite this, BBC director general Mark Thompson was forced to apologise to him a decade later, in 2011, after he was cut out of a Top of The Pops repeat. Chris Langham, the star of The Thick of It, was found guilty on 15 charges of downloading child sex abuse images and videos in 2007 and jailed for ten months, reduced to six months on appeal. He was arrested two years prior after video files were discovered on a computer, a laptop, and an external hard disk drive at his home. Dave Lee Travis, in 2012, two former BBC employees claimed the former DJ and presenter had sexually assaulted several women during his tenure at the station. Two years later, he was eventually found guilty of indecently assaulting a female researcher working in the mid-1990s and given a three-month suspended sentence. Rolf Harris, Operation Yewtree swooped on the Australian painter in March 2013; a year later, he had been found guilty of all twelve counts of indecent assault levelled at him; six of the charges related to a sexual relationship between Harris and one of his daughter’s friends when she was between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. Jimmy Savile, the Savile sexual abuse scandal rocked the BBC in 2012, sparking "the worst crisis" in the broadcaster’s history and an enormous public backlash which saw trust in the organisation collapse. Hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse and recollections from witnesses surfaced a year after Savile’s death. Stuart Hall, the It’s A Knockout and football presenter, was found guilty of sexually assaulting young girls and was sentenced to fifteen months in prison in 2013. An additional conviction for indecent assault came the following year, by which time his jail time had been extended to thirty months. The risk of so many scandals is, of course, a loss of trust. For the publicly-funded BBC, this is particularly serious. "When you’ve got such a massive organisation, there’s enormous bureaucracy and there are always going to be people doing things management don’t know anything about until it becomes too late," says the former BBC news correspondent. "The question is, what do they do when they do have a whiff of scandal?" Many feel that what they do is not what needs to be done. "The BBC doesn’t tend to handle these things very well. It’s not nimble, it’s not like any sort of private organisation where there’s someone strong in charge who can react," says the former correspondent. So do they ever learn their lessons? Will they now? "The sort of lessons they do learn is to be more receptive to staff mental health and bullying in the workplace," says the former BBC correspondent. "But they haven’t learned how to deal with someone committing sex offences in their private life. It is very tricky. I’m sure there’ll be an inquiry, and they’ll say lessons have been learned. Who knows whether they will be?" Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-03 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Scorching temperatures sweeping across Western Europe and North Africa have resulted in tens of thousands of premature deaths and have severely affected athletes and spectators at the Olympic Games in Paris. A recent rapid analysis has revealed that this intense heatwave, characterized by a "heat dome," would have been impossible without human-induced global warming. Scientists have determined that the fossil-fueled climate crisis has increased temperatures by 4 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit. Such an extreme event, they noted, would not have occurred in the pre-industrial era but is now expected about once a decade due to global warming. Continued emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide are projected to make these heatwaves even more frequent. "Climate change crashed the Olympics on Tuesday," stated Friederike Otto, a climatologist at Imperial College London and a member of the World Weather Attribution group behind the analysis. "The world watched athletes swelter in 95-degree Fahrenheit heat. If the atmosphere wasn’t overloaded with emissions from burning fossil fuels, Paris would have been about 5 to 6 degrees cooler and much safer for sport." The extreme heat has significantly impacted numerous athletes, including gymnastics superstar Simone Biles, with one tennis player describing the conditions as "crazy." Sailing competitors have resorted to wearing ice vests to stay cool, while fans watching beach volleyball near the Eiffel Tower have been sprayed with hoses. Misting fountains have been set up at skateboarding and other venues, and millions of bottles of water have been distributed at train and Métro stations. "However, many people across the Mediterranean do not have the luxury of ice packs, air conditioning, or cooling breaks at work," Otto pointed out. "For these people, extreme heat can mean death." The analysis examined the dangerous heat in July, which caused temperatures to soar past 104 degrees Fahrenheit in many areas, exacerbating wildfires in Portugal and Greece and worsening water shortages in Italy and Spain. In Morocco, temperatures reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit, with one hospital reporting 21 deaths. The heatwave is expected to have caused many more premature deaths across the region, although assembling the required data will take time. For instance, extreme heat in the European summer of 2022 is now known to have led to 61,000 early deaths. Dr. Mariam Zachariah, a research associate at Imperial College London, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "[Our new] analysis helps people understand that climate change is not a distant threat, but an immediate one that is already making life on Earth much more dangerous." Heat action plans have been implemented in countries such as France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, but not yet in Morocco. These plans include early warning systems, water and first aid stations, and altered hours for outdoor workers to mitigate the impact of extreme heat. The July heatwave was caused by a large-scale high-pressure ridge, often referred to as a "heat dome." This event followed 13 months of extreme heat globally, with each of the last 13 months being the hottest ever recorded. The climate crisis is making all heatwaves hotter, longer, and more frequent around the world. Scientists assessed the impact of human-induced global warming on the extreme July heat by comparing these events between today's climate, with about 1.3 degrees Celsius of global warming, and the cooler pre-industrial climate. This analysis builds on previous studies of heatwaves in the Mediterranean region in April and July 2023, which used weather data and computer climate models. This foundation meant that only weather data was needed for the new analysis, allowing it to be produced almost immediately. Many hundreds of attribution studies have now been completed, covering heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, floods, and storms. They include a growing number of events deemed impossible without human-caused warming, demonstrating how human activity has already supercharged extreme weather across the globe. "As long as humans burn oil, gas, and coal, heatwaves will get hotter and more people will die premature deaths," said Otto. "The good news is that we don’t need some magic solution to stop things from getting worse. We know exactly what we need to do and have the technology and knowledge needed to do it—replace fossil fuels with renewable energy and stop deforestation. The faster we do this, the better." UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently underscored the urgency of this issue, stating, "I must call out the flood of fossil fuel expansion we are seeing in some of the world’s wealthiest countries." This comment followed revelations by the Guardian about a surge in new oil and gas exploration in 2024, with countries such as the US and the UK leading the charge, issuing a record 825 oil and gas licenses in 2023. As the world continues to grapple with the consequences of climate change, the evidence is clear: human activity is driving extreme weather events, and urgent action is needed to mitigate the impacts and protect future generations. The crisis facing athletes at the Olympics is a stark reminder of the broader, life-threatening impacts of climate change on people around the world. Credit: Mother Jones 2024-08-02 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a gathering of foreign lawmakers in Taipei, President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan delivered a dire warning about the global ramifications of a potential Chinese invasion of the island. Addressing the summit organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), President Lai emphasized that such an event would have more severe consequences than both Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking on Tuesday during the largest assembly of foreign dignitaries in Taiwan, President Lai highlighted the profound economic and geopolitical impacts a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would precipitate. He stressed that “any conflict in the Taiwan Strait will have a more profound economic impact on the world than the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid-19.” This statement underscored Taiwan's integral role in global supply chains and the potential for widespread economic upheaval. The summit drew hundreds of members from parliaments in over 35 countries, all focused on addressing Beijing’s increasing threats to democracy and human rights. Despite significant pressure from the Chinese government to dissuade participation, lawmakers from nations including the UK, Australia, Japan, and South Korea attended, reaffirming their commitment to Taiwan's sovereignty and regional stability. President Lai commended the international lawmakers for their courage in attending the summit despite China's attempts at intimidation. Reports emerged that Chinese officials had contacted several invitees, urging them not to attend and even offering alternative visits to the Chinese mainland. Lai described these actions as part of a broader campaign of intimidation aimed at Xi Jinping’s “authoritarian external expansion” and the seizure of Taiwan. In his address, Lai outlined Taiwan’s preparations for a potential invasion, including recent “unscripted, actual-combat” drills designed to strengthen the island’s defense capabilities. He clarified that military confrontation is not Taiwan’s preferred outcome. “Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are closely related to global democracy, peace, and prosperity,” Lai stated, advocating for collaboration with democratic partners to build a “democratic umbrella” to counteract authoritarian threats. The significance of the summit was underscored by China’s military actions, including sending at least a dozen warplanes across the median line of the Taiwan Strait as the discussions commenced. Despite this show of force, Taiwanese Vice-President Hsiao Bi-khim engaged in candid discussions with the visiting lawmakers, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining regional stability. Luke de Pulford, IPAC’s director, noted the strong consensus among the participants on the importance of preventing an invasion. “There were a lot of different opinions about different scenarios that can happen around the Taiwan Strait. What they do seem to agree on is that [an invasion] must not be allowed to happen, it must be deterred from happening and [we must] use everything that we can in our diplomatic toolbox and otherwise to prevent it from happening,” de Pulford said. He also addressed China’s interference with the summit, condemning Beijing’s attempts to influence the travel plans of foreign politicians. “They tried to bully the global South countries. They wouldn’t dare to do it in Western, richer democracies. They think they can bully and coerce, which is even more deplorable. China’s intimidation tactics did not work,” he stated emphatically. As the world watches the developments in Taiwan, President Lai’s warnings highlight the precarious nature of the situation and the potentially devastating consequences of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The summit in Taipei stands as a testament to the international community's resolve to support Taiwan in the face of growing authoritarian pressures from Beijing. Credit: The Independent 2024-08-02 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Retired senior US general and former Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark has issued a stark warning to Democrats, urging them not to underestimate former President Donald Trump. Speaking on the One Decision podcast, hosted by journalist Julia Macfarlane and Sir Richard Dearlove, a former head of British intelligence service MI6, Clark emphasized the persistent influence and appeal Trump holds among the American public, despite widespread disdain from those who have worked closely with him. “I don’t think anybody who works for Trump has ever recommended him,” Clark remarked. “Not John Bolton, not John Kelly, the retired marines general who was [White House] chief of staff … not [retired marines general] Jim Mattis, who resigned as secretary of defense under Trump. I don’t think people who work for him have any respect for his ability.” However, Clark acknowledged Trump's unique qualities that resonate with a significant portion of the electorate. “But here’s the thing about Trump. He works really hard. He’s very clever. He is charismatic. He can be very charming. And so Democrats and people who are on the outside have a tendency to underestimate him, because he has misspellings in his tweets and he’s very emotional and he doesn’t know anything about policies. But he does touch a chord in the American public.” Clark, who served as NATO's supreme allied commander in Europe before retiring in 2000, highlighted Trump's ability to connect with voters on a "chord of grievance," particularly regarding foreign wars. Reflecting on his own experiences during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Clark noted that Trump successfully tapped into a deep-seated distrust that dates back to the aftermath of the Vietnam War. “Trump, he said, tapped into a distrust fed by those conflicts but which goes back really to the aftermath of the war in Vietnam, which he didn’t fight in, by the way, which he escaped with a spurious bone spur [note] from a doctor.” Despite Trump's contentious reputation and numerous controversies, Clark stressed the importance of not underestimating his political prowess. “But the point is, [Trump is] not to be underestimated as a politician. And I think a lot of the problems that President Biden had are traceable to Donald Trump, in foreign policy.” Clark cited the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 as an example of the lasting impact of Trump’s policies. “The US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, after Trump reached an agreement with the Taliban, but left Biden to end a 20-year US military presence with a chaotic evacuation.” As the 2024 presidential election looms, with Vice President Kamala Harris now the Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden's decision to step aside, Clark outlined the significant challenges the next president might face. He emphasized the importance of managing international relations, particularly with China, Europe, NATO, and Iran. “For presidents, foreign policy almost always produces a crisis within the first year,” Clark said. “Iran is going to be nuclear within a year, for sure. They could be nuclear right now. Some of my friends tell me they’ve already got five or six nuclear weapons. They’re just waiting to test … and so this is going to be probably the first crisis that a President Kamala Harris has to face when she comes into office.” In the political arena, Harris and her yet-to-be-named running mate face a formidable challenge against Trump and his vice-presidential pick, JD Vance, a 39-year-old former marine turned hard-right Ohio senator. Clark discussed Trump’s appeal to military veterans and voters, despite numerous reports of his disparaging remarks about service and sacrifice. “I think Trump comes in with an advantage for the veterans vote simply because he’s masculine,” Clark said. “He … talks tough, and so a certain number of people will like that. [But] I can tell you support among the senior officer corps is maybe 5%, or maybe less, because people have seen him and worked for him up close. I have no respect for him whatsoever. He doesn’t care about the facts, doesn’t care about the concepts, doesn’t learn, doesn’t listen. [He’s] not somebody who can be trusted with national security secrets. He’s a security threat, etc, etc.” Clark also addressed the potential reception of Kamala Harris as a female commander-in-chief by the US military. Asked if he thought the military was ready to accept Harris, Clark responded confidently: “Sure. There’s no problem there.” Credit: The Guardian 2024-08-02 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has publicly challenged Tesla CEO Elon Musk to a fight on national television. This bizarre challenge came in response to Musk's allegations of election fraud following Venezuela's recent presidential election, where both Maduro and his opponent claimed victory. The controversy began when Musk took to the social media platform X to accuse Maduro of committing major election fraud. "Maduro, leave! Venezuelans chose to end the communist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro. The data announce a crushing victory of the opposition, and the world is waiting for you to recognize the defeat after years of socialism, misery, decadence, and death," Musk wrote. Maduro, visibly angered by Musk's statements, referred to the tech billionaire as a threat to Venezuela. In a dramatic twist, he challenged Musk to a fight on national television, saying, "Social media creates a virtual reality, and who controls the virtual reality? Our new archenemy, the famous Elon Musk. Do you want to fight? Let’s do it. Elon Musk, I’m ready. I’m not afraid of you, Elon Musk. Let’s fight, wherever you want." Musk, never one to shy away from a confrontation, responded to a tweet about Maduro's challenge with a simple, "I accept." This response quickly went viral, adding a surreal element to the already contentious political climate in Venezuela. The Venezuelan National Electoral Council, which is loyal to Maduro, declared him the winner of the recent election with 51% of the vote. This result was contested by opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who reportedly won 44% of the vote according to multiple exit polls. The Carter Center, an Atlanta-based organization, stated that it could not verify the election results due to a "complete lack of transparency" and noted that the election did not meet international standards for democracy. "The electoral authority’s failure to announce disaggregated results by polling station constitutes a serious breach of electoral principles," the Carter Center said. The organization had deployed 17 experts across four cities in Venezuela, but their efforts to ensure a transparent election were thwarted by the authorities. Maduro, a 61-year-old former bus driver and foreign minister, has maintained strong support from Venezuela's military. Despite multiple rounds of demonstrations against his rule since 2014, the opposition has shifted its focus to the electoral process in an attempt to unseat him. The disputed election results have further fueled tensions within the country. This is not the first time Musk has provoked a global figure. He has a history of making bold claims and engaging in public spats, notably with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Musk has often boasted that he could win in a fight against Zuckerberg, a challenge that has been ongoing since last June when Zuckerberg launched Threads, a social media platform that competes directly with Musk’s X. Although talks of a charity cage match were once in the works, they eventually fizzled out when Musk cited a potential need for surgery to fix a back injury. Credit: NYP 2024-08-02 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a recent turn of events, a Netflix executive has admitted that the story portrayed in the series "Baby Reindeer" is not entirely factual, following allegations of misleading statements to Members of Parliament. Benjamin King, Netflix’s director of public policy, previously described the show to the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) committee as a “true story of the horrific abuse … Richard Gadd suffered at the hands of a convicted stalker.” "Baby Reindeer" is a dramatic retelling of comedian Richard Gadd’s real-life experiences, with Gadd himself playing the lead role. Actress Jessica Gunning stars as Martha, a character based on Gadd’s alleged stalker, believed to be a woman named Fiona Harvey. Despite these claims, there is no recorded evidence to support that Ms. Harvey from Aberdeenshire was ever convicted of any offense. Following the committee session on May 8, former SNP MP John Nicolson requested that Mr. King provide evidence to substantiate his claims about the conviction. Nicolson stated to the BBC, “It’s clear that the evidence given by Netflix to the select committee is disputed. The charge made – of a conviction – is very important. Journalists can find no evidence to back up the Netflix claim. I will be writing to Netflix to ask them to substantiate the claim they made.” In a subsequent letter to Dame Caroline Dinenage, the former chairwoman of the committee, Mr. King clarified that the individual on whom the show is based was actually subject to a court order rather than a conviction. The letter, dated May 23, reads: “Dear Dame Caroline, Thank you for the opportunity to speak with the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on May 8 as part of your inquiry into British film and high-end television. As I said in my oral evidence, Netflix is investing heavily in quality British TV, with a string of recent hits, including Baby Reindeer. In response to a question about the characters portrayed in that series, I said that ‘it’s an extraordinary true story... of the horrific abuse that the writer and protagonist Richard Gadd suffered at the hands of a convicted stalker’. I wanted to clarify our understanding that the person on whom the show is based – who we have at no point sought to identify – was subject to a court order rather than a conviction. The writer of Baby Reindeer endured serious harassment over many months – as it now seems has been the case for many others – which had a significant impact on his wellbeing.” After the series' release in April, Fiona Harvey came forward claiming to be the inspiration behind Martha, the character portrayed as Gadd’s stalker. Harvey contested the show's accuracy, stating, “Baby Reindeer is not a true story at all” and insisting, “I am not a convicted stalker.” Subsequently, Harvey filed a lawsuit against Netflix in June, accusing the streaming giant of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, gross negligence, and violations of her right of publicity. At the CMS committee session, Mr. King emphasized the importance of telling Richard Gadd’s story truthfully. He expressed discomfort with the notion of silencing Gadd, stating, “I personally wouldn’t be comfortable with a world in which we decided it was better that Richard was silenced, and not allowed to tell his story.” Following the series’ appearance on Netflix, Gadd received the award for best breakthrough limited series at the inaugural Gotham TV Awards. During his acceptance speech, he expressed his gratitude, saying he was “forever grateful” to those involved in bringing the show to life. He also urged viewers not to speculate about the real-life individuals who inspired the series’ characters. The revelations surrounding the factual inaccuracies in "Baby Reindeer" highlight the complexities and responsibilities of adapting real-life events into dramatic narratives. As the situation unfolds, it underscores the ongoing debate about the balance between creative storytelling and factual integrity in media portrayals. Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a pointed response to former President Donald J. Trump after he questioned her identity as a Black woman. Speaking at a convention of Sigma Gamma Rho, a leading Black sorority, Harris criticized Trump's divisive rhetoric, emphasizing the need for truthfulness and respect in leadership. Harris stated that the American people deserve better, a leader who does not react with hostility and anger when faced with the facts and who understands that diversity is a source of strength rather than division. Harris’s comments came after Trump’s remarks in Chicago, where he questioned whether Harris identified as Indian or Black and falsely claimed she had shifted her identity from Indian to Black. Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian heritage and a graduate of Howard University, chose not to address Trump’s comments directly. Instead, she focused on the broader theme of unity and the importance of integrity in leadership. Harris's measured response to Trump’s remarks may indicate her approach to future attacks. This strategy contrasts with how former President Barack Obama dealt with similar unfounded accusations from Trump. Obama largely ignored the "birther" conspiracy theories, while Harris is addressing the underlying issues of respect and truthfulness. Harris has placed her campaign within the larger context of racial progress in America, likening her efforts to those of abolitionists and civil rights activists. During a rally in Atlanta, she reminded the audience that previous generations had fought for freedom and that the current generation now holds the baton. Harris’s involvement in Alpha Kappa Alpha, another prominent Black sorority, alongside Sigma Gamma Rho, has garnered significant support from these organizations. Her position as the vice-presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket has energized many within the party, particularly African Americans, at a time when Trump has been making inroads among Black voters. Trump’s comments at a convention of Black journalists in Chicago seemed aimed at creating a rift among these voters. Asha’ Jones, a member of Sigma Gamma Rho, expressed her disdain for Trump’s attacks on Harris, asserting that Harris does not need to prove her Blackness to anyone as she knows who she is. Many attendees at the convention, dressed in the sorority’s traditional gold jackets, resonated with the words of former First Lady Michelle Obama: “When they go low, we go high.” Harris seemed to echo this sentiment in her speech’s conclusion, urging people to continue fighting with faith, optimism, and hope. Credit: NYT 2024-08-02 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a startling demonstration in Times Square, anti-Israel protesters brandished a portrait of assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and waved a flag symbolizing the terrorist group on Wednesday afternoon. The rally, marked by chants of "Free Palestine," saw one protester holding a Hamas flag while another displayed a photo of Haniyeh. This individual, masked and wearing sunglasses, also donned a hat with a yellow headband representing Hezbollah, another terrorist organization. Among the roughly 300 demonstrators, another protester held up Haniyeh’s portrait while Palestinian flags were waved prominently. The rally appeared to be a response to a speech by former Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Jonathan Conricus in midtown. Supporters of Israel, numbering in the hundreds, attended the event, with about 50 remaining into the evening to counter the pro-Palestinian demonstration by waving Israeli flags. Tensions escalated when pro-Palestinian protesters surrounded two Israel supporters and allegedly threw liquid at them. In retaliation, a woman wearing a pro-Israel shirt sprayed the group with an unknown substance, as captured in footage from the scene. The man accompanying her explained to police that she was "protecting herself" before officers intervened and separated her from the crowd. One Israel supporter expressed sadness over the pro-Palestinian protesters' resort to violence, criticizing Haniyeh as a "war monger." The protest took place less than 24 hours after Haniyeh was reportedly killed in an airstrike at his residence in Tehran. Credit: NYP 2024-08-02 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

The appearance of former President Donald Trump at the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) annual convention on Wednesday quickly became a spectacle of controversy and offense. Within minutes of the event's start, Trump's interactions with the three Black women moderators were marred by insults and racially charged comments, setting a combative tone for the session. Trump began by criticizing the moderators' initial question, which he perceived as disrespectful. “You don’t even say, hello, how are you?” he said, expressing clear offense at a query regarding his history of denigrating Black people. He then took a swipe at one of the moderators, asking, “Are you with ABC? Because I think they’re a fake news network, a terrible network, and I think it’s disgraceful that I came here in good spirit.” The tension escalated as Trump directed racist remarks towards Vice President Kamala Harris. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now she wants to be known as Black,” he said, to the audible shock of the audience. Trump continued to assert that he had “done so much for the Black community” while labeling the interviewers as “nasty” and a “disgrace.” Throughout the session, the moderators—Semafor’s Kadia Goba, ABC News’ Rachel Scott, and Fox News’ Harris Faulkner—pressed Trump on various topics, including his willingness to pardon January 6 rioters. “If they’re innocent, I would pardon them,” he stated. He also suggested that Harris should take a cognitive test, referencing her initial failure of the bar exam before she was admitted to the California bar in 1990. Trump’s comments elicited repeated gasps from the audience, particularly when he declared, “A black job is anybody that has a job.” This remark, among others, highlighted the former president's fraught relationship with Black journalists and the broader Black community. The announcement of Trump’s participation in the NABJ convention had already sparked intense backlash. Some Black journalists argued that his history of attacking Black women journalists should have precluded him from being invited. Bobby Henry, chair of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, which represents over 240 Black-owned newspapers, voiced his opposition prior to the event. He stated that Trump's appearance “undermines the NABJ’s values of inclusion and solidarity and risks normalizing his damaging behavior.” In response to the criticism, the NABJ attempted to justify the decision by emphasizing that the interviewers would address “the most pressing issues facing the Black community.” They also clarified that Trump's participation did not constitute an endorsement from the organization. As the session drew to a close, it was clear that Trump's remarks had left a significant impact, with audience members and moderators alike grappling with the offensive nature of his comments. The NABJ is now working on scheduling a similar discussion with Vice President Kamala Harris for September, hoping to address the same pressing issues in a more respectful and productive manner. Credit: Mother Jones 2024-08-02 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Update:

In a remarkable diplomatic maneuver, Turkey has facilitated the release and exchange of twenty-six prisoners from seven different countries. This significant exchange took place in Ankara and involved detainees from the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus. According to the Turkish presidency's statement, ten individuals, including two minors, were relocated to Russia. Thirteen prisoners were sent to Germany, and three were transferred to the United States. Among the prominent figures released were Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and US Marine Paul Whelan. Additionally, German mercenary Rico Krieger, who had been imprisoned in Belarus, and Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin, were also part of the exchange. This prisoner swap is one of the largest and most extraordinary in modern history, not only due to the number of individuals involved but also because of the diverse nationalities of the prisoners. This event is particularly notable given the backdrop of the worst relations between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War in 1991. Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the acceleration of hostilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, it is evident that communication channels have remained open between the intelligence agencies of the involved nations. Turkey's involvement in this exchange is significant. Ibrahim Kalin, the head of Turkish intelligence (MIT), reportedly met his Russian counterpart in Ankara last week. Turkey, a NATO member, has managed to maintain a stable relationship with Moscow, largely due to the cooperative rapport between Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Key details about the prisoner exchange reveal that three US citizens imprisoned in Russia are expected to be released as part of a deal agreed upon by the Biden administration. These individuals include Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, US Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. In total, the exchange involves 24 prisoners held in Russia, the US, Germany, and three other Western countries. Eight Russian nationals are expected to be returned to Russia, including several with suspected ties to Russian intelligence. While the swap has not yet been completed, it is expected to take place later today. Speculation about a major exchange grew after several dissidents and journalists jailed in Russia were reportedly moved from their prison cells to unknown locations. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Kremlin opponent with dual Russian-British citizenship, is among those whose whereabouts are currently unknown, fueling expectations that he, too, might be released as part of the deal. If all these releases take place, this event will mark one of the biggest prisoner exchanges between Russia and the West in history. This development highlights Turkey's pivotal role in international diplomacy and the continuing efforts to maintain dialogue and negotiations despite the current geopolitical tensions. Credit: BBC 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a significant diplomatic development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has released two high-profile American prisoners, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, as part of a prisoner swap deal. The details of the arrangement, including the identities of those exchanged, have not been fully disclosed, but the release follows days of intense speculation. Evan Gershkovich, who was sentenced to 16 years in a maximum-security penal colony on espionage charges, was arrested by Russia’s FSB security service in March 2023 during a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg. Accused of gathering secret information about a Russian tank factory for the CIA, Gershkovich's trial was widely condemned by the Wall Street Journal and the Biden administration as a sham. Paul Whelan, arrested in Moscow in 2018 and sentenced in 2020 to 16 years for espionage, was previously a figure in U.S.-Russia prisoner negotiations. His case was highlighted during the December 2022 swap that saw WNBA star Brittney Griner exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. At that time, U.S. officials noted that Russia refused to include Whelan in the deal, with President Joe Biden criticizing Moscow for treating Whelan’s case differently from Griner’s "for totally illegitimate reasons." Despite this, Biden vowed to continue efforts to bring Whelan home. Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist involved in the recent negotiations, described the swap as "bittersweet," acknowledging the release of individuals imprisoned on "insane charges" while also noting that the deal reinforces Putin’s strategy of using prisoners as "swap capital" to reclaim Russian operatives. In addition to Gershkovich and Whelan, the swap may involve Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian-British activist and journalist imprisoned since April 2023. Kara-Murza’s potential inclusion has been the subject of discussions within the UK government, although Britain does not typically engage in prisoner swaps. Some MPs have urged the Foreign Office to lobby the U.S. for his release, but it remains uncertain if these efforts will be successful, as negotiations with Russia are notoriously challenging. The release of Gershkovich and Whelan marks a notable moment in U.S.-Russia relations, reflecting ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve high-stakes prisoner cases despite strained ties between the two countries. This is an updating story. Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Iran has issued a stern warning of "harsh punishment" for Israel, accusing it of being behind the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday. The assassination, which took place in Tehran, has sparked significant tension in the region. While Israel has not directly commented on the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel had recently dealt "crushing blows" to its adversaries, referencing the assassination of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon just hours before the strike in Tehran. Netanyahu cautioned Israelis about "challenging days ahead" as the possibility of a broader Middle Eastern conflict looms. "Since the strike in Beirut, there are threats from all directions," he said in a televised address. "We are prepared for any scenario and will stand united and determined against any threat." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over a "dangerous escalation" of hostilities in the region. The UN Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday evening to discuss the growing tensions. Hamas's armed wing declared that Haniyeh's death would "take the battle to new dimensions" and have significant repercussions. Haniyeh, widely considered the overall leader of Hamas, played a crucial role in negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza. His assassination occurred just hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran. A senior Hamas official informed the BBC that the killing took place in the same building Haniyeh had used during previous visits to Iran. According to witnesses, a missile struck Haniyeh directly, killing him and leaving the group's leadership in a state of shock. Prior to Haniyeh's assassination, Israel announced it had killed senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Israel holds Shukr responsible for a rocket attack that killed 12 people in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday, an allegation Hezbollah denies. Shukr's body was found among the rubble of a residential building targeted by the strike, which also resulted in the deaths of four others, including two children. Hezbollah's response is anticipated, as the group has previously retaliated against the killings of its senior members with rocket attacks on Israel. In response to the escalating violence, the US has updated its travel guidance, advising citizens against traveling to Lebanon due to "rising tensions." The UK foreign secretary has similarly urged nationals to leave the country. Consequently, several airlines have canceled flights to Beirut, and United, Delta, and British Airways are expected to announce the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv. Credit: BBC 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

The U.S. Department of Defence has announced that three of the men accused of orchestrating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have entered into a pre-trial agreement. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi, who have been detained at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for years without trial, will plead guilty in exchange for the prosecution agreeing not to seek the death penalty. The specific terms of the plea deal have not yet been disclosed. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, which targeted New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. These attacks, carried out by al-Qaeda, led to the "War on Terror" and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The 9/11 attacks remain the deadliest assault on U.S. soil since the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which resulted in 2,400 deaths. The plea deal was first reported in a letter sent by prosecutors to the families of the victims, according to The New York Times. The letter from Chief Prosecutor Rear Admiral Aaron Rugh stated, "In exchange for the removal of the death penalty as a possible punishment, these three accused have agreed to plead guilty to all of the charged offenses, including the murder of the 2,976 people listed in the charge sheet." The men face charges including attacking civilians, murder in violation of the laws of war, hijacking, and terrorism. They are expected to formally submit their pleas in court as early as next week. In September, the Biden administration reportedly rejected the terms of a plea deal with five men held at Guantanamo Bay, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammad. The men had sought a guarantee from the president that they would not be kept in solitary confinement and would have access to trauma treatment. The White House National Security Council stated that the president's office was informed of the deal on Wednesday and had played no role in the plea deal negotiations. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad is widely regarded as the architect of the 9/11 attacks. Hijackers seized passenger planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon outside of Washington, D.C. A third plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to overpower the hijackers. Mohammad, a U.S.-educated engineer, was captured along with Hawsawi in Pakistan in March 2003. Prosecutors contend that Mohammad proposed the idea of hijacking and flying planes into U.S. buildings to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and later helped recruit and train some of the hijackers. Mohammad was subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques," including waterboarding, at least 183 times before the practice was banned by the U.S. government. Admiral Rugh's letter emphasized that the decision to accept the deal was "not reached lightly" and was considered the "best path... to justice." However, Jim Smith, whose wife died in the attacks, expressed his disappointment to the New York Post, stating that families of the victims had "waited 23 years to have our day in court to put on the record what these animals did to our loved ones." He added, "They took that opportunity away from us," and asserted that the accused should receive the "highest penalty" for their roles. Credit: BBC 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Kamala Harris, has shifted her stance on several key policy issues, including fracking, border control, healthcare, and policing. This move comes after she faced criticisms from former President Donald Trump, who attacked her previous liberal views during the 2020 presidential primary race. Harris, who previously positioned herself to the left of the Democratic Party, has now softened her opposition to fracking and private healthcare. She also emphasized her tough record on crime and illegal immigration at the southern U.S. border. This strategic repositioning is in response to a barrage of Republican attack ads, with the Trump campaign launching its first advertisement against her on Tuesday. The ad described her as “failed,” “weak,” and “dangerously liberal,” targeting voters in six battleground states: Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin. The Trump campaign has particularly criticized Harris for her role in border control under Joe Biden’s administration, highlighting the surge in illegal crossings from Mexico. Trump has labeled her as Biden’s “border czar,” a title never officially bestowed upon her but used by the media since 2021. The ad revisited a 2021 interview where Harris responded to questions about her absence at the border by saying, “I haven’t been to Europe. I mean, I don’t understand the point you’re making.” Since taking over as the presumptive Democratic nominee on July 21, Harris has distanced herself from some of her earlier liberal positions as a California senator. In 2017, she co-sponsored Bernie Sanders’s “Medicare-for-all” bill, advocating for a national healthcare system similar to the NHS. However, she has since moderated her views, suggesting that private medical debt should not affect credit scores. During the 2020 campaign, Harris unequivocally supported a ban on fracking, which is crucial for U.S. natural gas and oil production. Her campaign clarified on Friday that she would not ban fracking if elected. She has also portrayed herself as a tough prosecutor, highlighting her role as California’s district attorney and moving away from her 2020 call to “redirect resources” from policing following George Floyd’s murder. In her 2024 campaign, Harris has emphasized her achievements as a prosecutor, stating, “I took on perpetrators of all kinds” and listing her efforts against predators, fraudsters, and cheaters. The Trump campaign’s attack ad drew attention to Harris’s previous statements on the U.S. migration crisis, where she called for a more humanitarian approach. However, her campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, reaffirmed on Saturday that Biden’s tough border policies would continue under Harris. Some Democrats are concerned about the border issue, particularly in Arizona, a key battleground state with significant concerns about illegal migration. Responding to Trump’s border attack ads, a spokesperson for Harris’s campaign accused Trump of spreading “his trademark lies” about her policy positions. The spokesperson highlighted Harris’s career as a district attorney, attorney general, and Vice-President, underscoring her commitment to prosecuting violent criminals and ensuring community safety. Harris’s strategic shift in policy positions aims to counter Republican criticisms and appeal to a broader electorate as she campaigns for the presidency. Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are locked in a tight race in crucial battleground states, according to recent polling data shared with The Hill. The surveys, conducted by the left-leaning Public Policy Polling and commissioned by the Democratic super PAC Progress Action Fund, show Trump holding a slight lead over Harris in Arizona and Pennsylvania, while Harris edges out Trump in Georgia. In Arizona, Trump garners 49 percent support compared to Harris’s 47 percent, with 3 percent of respondents undecided. Pennsylvania presents a similar scenario, with Trump leading Harris 48 percent to 47 percent, and 5 percent of voters undecided. Conversely, in Georgia, Harris leads Trump 48 percent to 47 percent, with another 5 percent undecided. These figures suggest that Trump and Harris are effectively tied in all three states, reflecting a significant shift from a few weeks prior when President Biden was trailing Trump in most battleground regions. The Arizona poll also revealed that 59 percent of respondents said that having Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) as Harris's running mate would not affect their vote. Twenty-two percent indicated that Kelly’s presence on the ticket would make them more likely to support Harris, while 17 percent said it would make them less likely to do so. Only 2 percent were unsure about the impact of Kelly’s potential candidacy. In Pennsylvania, a similar sentiment was observed, with 64 percent of respondents stating that Governor Josh Shapiro (D) as Harris's running mate would not influence their vote. Nineteen percent mentioned they would be more inclined to vote for Harris with Shapiro on the ticket, while 14 percent said they would be less likely to support her. Three percent were undecided on this matter. Joe Jacobson, founder and executive director of Progress Action Fund, remarked, "In just one week, Vice President Harris has turned this race around by running an exceptional and unprecedentedly effective campaign." He added, "Most Democrats are afraid to go on offense, but Vice President Harris is not one of them. She completely shifted the narrative of the race and she will win the presidency if Democrats continue to hold Donald Trump and Republicans accountable for their creepy, weird policies." The Democratic super PAC behind these polls is known for its provocative advertising campaigns. One notable ad depicted a Republican congressman in a couples’ bedroom to highlight the issue of reproductive rights last year. Although these polls are still early, they suggest that Democrats have reasons to be optimistic about maintaining their hold on key battleground states with Harris as their presumptive nominee. The Harris campaign has been actively vetting potential vice-presidential candidates, with Kelly and Shapiro among those considered. The Public Policy Polling survey in Arizona was conducted between July 29 and 30, involving 618 Arizona voters, with a margin of error of 3.9 percent. The Pennsylvania survey, also conducted on the same dates, included 627 Pennsylvania voters, with a similar margin of error of 3.9 percent. In Georgia, the survey polled 662 voters from July 29 to 30, with a margin of error of 3.8 percent. These tight races underscore the highly competitive nature of the upcoming election, with both parties vying intensely for control over pivotal states. As the campaigns continue to unfold, the strategies and dynamics in these battleground regions will be crucial in determining the final outcome. Harris & Trump 91 polls Credit: Hill 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Russia's defence ministry has announced that it will begin training its troops in Ukraine to use tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield. These exercises will involve the use of Iskander-M ballistic missiles and various aircraft, as outlined in a statement published on the Telegram messaging app by the ministry. The statement detailed that the exercises will focus on preparing units of the Russian armed forces for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons. The personnel involved will practice obtaining special training ammunition for the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile systems, equipping launch vehicles with these munitions, and covertly advancing to designated positions to prepare for electronic launchers. The goal is to ensure the readiness of both personnel and equipment for the potential use of non-strategic nuclear weapons in combat missions. Tactical nuclear weapons, which have smaller warheads compared to strategic bombs, are designed for specific battlefield objectives rather than the widespread destruction associated with strategic nuclear strikes. Pro-war figures within the Kremlin have frequently called for the use of such weapons, both within and outside Ukraine, particularly in response to Ukrainian advances on the battlefield. The Moscow-based Council for Foreign and Defence Policy, a think-tank influential in shaping Russian government policy, has even suggested a "demonstrative" nuclear explosion as a means of deterring Western nations from supplying arms to Ukraine. The southern and central military districts, two of the five groupings that constitute Russia’s armed forces, will participate in these exercises. The southern district includes the Russian-occupied areas of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. These regions were claimed by President Vladimir Putin to be annexed following a series of disputed referendums in September 2022. The central military district, primarily responsible for Moscow’s offensive operations in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, has been tasked with capturing the city of Avdiivka, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War. Russia has conducted numerous nuclear exercises, with Putin frequently threatening to use such weapons in retaliation to Western support for Ukraine. In May, Moscow's defence ministry released footage of its forces rehearsing cross-border strikes into Ukraine using Iskander missiles equipped with "special purpose" nuclear warheads. While Western analysts have previously dismissed these threats as "nuclear blackmail" rather than serious intentions to deploy nuclear strikes, the latest drills underscore the escalating rhetoric and military posturing. These developments come shortly after Putin threatened to resume production of mid-range nuclear weapons in response to the United States' planned missile deployments in Europe. This heightened state of readiness and the explicit training for the use of tactical nuclear weapons marks a significant and concerning escalation in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with broader implications for international security and the stability of the region. Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

In a disturbing revelation, an investigation commissioned by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has uncovered that at least 973 Native American children perished within the confines of the U.S. government's boarding school system. This damning report has prompted calls for a formal apology from the government for the brutal policies implemented through these schools. The investigation, led by Haaland, who is herself a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe in New Mexico and the first Native American to hold a U.S. Cabinet position, found both marked and unmarked graves at 65 out of more than 400 boarding schools established with the intent to forcibly assimilate Native American children into white society. The investigation does not specify the exact causes of death for each child, but the reasons range from sickness to abuse, spanning a period of 150 years that ended in 1969. Additionally, some children may have succumbed to illnesses contracted at these schools after being sent back home. This comprehensive investigation was preceded by a series of listening sessions held over the past two years across the U.S. During these sessions, numerous former students recounted harrowing experiences of harsh and degrading treatment endured during their separation from families. “The federal government took deliberate and strategic action through boarding school policies to isolate children from their families, deny them their identities, and steal from them the languages, cultures, and connections that are foundational to Native people,” Haaland stated in a call with reporters. “Make no mistake, this was a concerted attempt to eradicate the, quote, ‘Indian problem,’ to either assimilate or destroy Native peoples altogether.” In an earlier report released in 2022, officials estimated that over 500 children had died in these schools. The origins of these schools trace back to 1819 when the federal government enacted laws and policies to support their establishment. The last of these institutions operated until the 1960s. Within these schools, Native American children were stripped of their identities, given English names, subjected to military drills, and forced to undertake manual labor such as farming, brick-making, and railroad work. Former students shared emotional accounts of their time in these institutions during listening sessions held in states including Oklahoma, South Dakota, Michigan, Arizona, and Alaska. They described being punished for speaking their native languages, being confined to basements, and having their hair cut to erase their cultural identities. Some were subjected to solitary confinement, beatings, and food deprivation. Many left the schools with only basic vocational skills, which limited their employment opportunities. Donovan Archambault, 85, the former chairman of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana, recounted being sent away to boarding schools at the age of 11, where he was mistreated, forced to cut his hair, and prohibited from speaking his native language. The trauma led him to heavy alcohol consumption before he eventually turned his life around two decades later. Archambault had not shared his school experiences with his children until he penned a book about it several years ago. “An apology is needed. They should apologize,” Archambault told the Associated Press by phone. “But there also needs to be a broader education about what happened to us. To me, it’s part of a forgotten history.” Haaland expressed profound personal regret, stating she was “sorry beyond words,” but suggested that a formal apology should come directly from the federal government. She did not indicate whether she would urge President Joe Biden to issue one. Additionally, Interior Department officials recommended that the government invest in programs aimed at helping Native American communities heal from the traumas inflicted by the boarding schools. This includes funding for education, violence prevention, and the revitalization of Indigenous languages. The agency emphasized that the scale of these efforts should match the spending on the schools. The financial underpinnings of the boarding schools and related assimilation programs were substantial, with $23.3 billion spent in inflation-adjusted federal funds. Many of the schools were operated by religious and private institutions that received federal support, playing a significant role in the campaign to “civilize” Indigenous students. By 1926, over 80% of Indigenous school-age children—approximately 60,000—were attending boarding schools run either by the federal government or religious organizations, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. The Minnesota-based group has identified more than 100 additional schools not included in the government’s list, which were run by churches without federal support. In June, U.S. Catholic bishops issued an apology for the church’s role in the trauma experienced by the children. Pope Francis also apologized in 2022 for the Catholic Church’s cooperation with boarding schools in Canada, acknowledging that the forced assimilation of Native peoples into Christian society devastated cultures, severed families, and marginalized generations. Legislation currently pending before Congress seeks to establish a Truth and Healing Commission to document and acknowledge the injustices related to boarding schools. The measure is sponsored in the Senate by Democrat Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and supported by Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Credit: The Guardian 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Former BBC TV news presenter Huw Edwards, a household name in Britain, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to three counts of making indecent pictures of children. Edwards, 62, who was the BBC’s highest-paid journalist and top news anchor until he quit in April, had arrived at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court wearing sunglasses, making his way through a throng of photographers and camera crews. After confirming his identity, he was asked if he wished to indicate a plea to the three charges, which relate to three different categories of indecent images. Edwards said, “Guilty.” Judge Paul Goldspring stated that Edwards would be sentenced on September 16. During the 25-minute hearing, prosecutor Ian Hope detailed that the 41 still or moving images had been sent to Edwards by an adult male on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021. Hope added that seven of the 41 images were of the most serious kind and that two of those seven were pornographic videos of a child possibly aged seven and nine years old. Edwards’ lawyer, Philip Evans, emphasized that the charges to which his client had indicated guilty pleas related only to images that were sent to him via WhatsApp. “There is no suggestion in this case that Mr. Edwards has in any way made, in the traditional sense of the word, any images in any physical way or created any images of any sort,” Evans said. Edwards, who announced the death of Queen Elizabeth to the nation in 2022 and led coverage of elections, royal weddings, and the 2012 Olympics, has not been on TV screens for a year, and the court appearance was his first in public since then. He quit in April on medical advice after newspaper allegations last year that he had paid a young person thousands of pounds for sexually explicit photos. Credit: NBC News 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

President Emmanuel Macron's opulent state dinner for King Charles last year has come under scrutiny after an annual audit revealed it significantly impacted the Elysee Palace's finances. The lavish event, which took place at the historic Versailles Palace, cost close to €500,000 and featured a gourmet menu of lobster and crab. Among the 170 guests were notable figures like Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and actor Hugh Grant, highlighting the grandeur of the occasion. The Elysee Palace’s budget for the year was stretched thin, with the state dinner being one of several high-cost events that contributed to an €8.3 million deficit. The total expenditure for the palace last year reached €125 million, covering a wide range of presidential and diplomatic activities, including administration, personnel, security, and estate management. However, the events for King Charles and India’s president, Narendra Modi, were among the most expensive engagements recorded by France’s state auditor, the Cour des Comptes. The luxurious banquet, hosted by Macron and his wife Brigitte, was a key gesture to strengthen France-Britain relations post-Brexit. The elaborate feast, costing over €475,000, included a catering bill of €165,000 and was executed by a team of 45 chefs, including Michelin-starred Yannick Alléno, Anne-Sophie Pic, and pastry chef Pierre Hermé. The meticulously planned menu, which took three months to prepare, featured a starter of blue lobster and crab inspired by Louis XIV’s tastes, followed by Mr. Alléno’s poulet de Bresse with a cep gratin. The drinks selection was equally impressive, with double magnums of Château Mouton-Rothschild 2004 grand cru classé Pauillac, whose label was designed by King Charles himself, and Pol Roger champagne. Guests dined at a 60-meter-long table adorned with locally sourced roses and hydrangeas in pink, purple, and white hues, set on plates made by the renowned Porcelaine de Sèvres. King Charles and Queen Camilla were reportedly delighted by the event. A royal source mentioned their satisfaction, stating they were "really delighted by the whole thing." President Macron's hospitality extended to other significant visits as well. When Indian President Narendra Modi visited in July, he received a curated tour of the Louvre’s masterpieces and an equally lavish dinner, which cost around €400,000. Despite the criticism from the audit court regarding the extravagant spending, particularly the waste caused by poor planning and the €830,000 lost in canceling 12 non-refundable trips, Macron's lavish hospitality was praised by some. Critics have often labeled Macron as “the president of the rich,” but the reaction to these financial revelations has been relatively muted. One diplomatic source reflected positively on the Versailles event, describing it as "magnificent" and likening it to a fairytale, affirming the grandeur and historical significance of the location. The Elysee Palace's financial strain from these events underscores the delicate balance between diplomatic grandeur and fiscal responsibility. While the lavish state dinners aimed to foster international relations and celebrate historical ties, they also highlight the need for more prudent financial planning to avoid substantial deficits in the future. Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

A violent incident involving machetes at the seafront in Southend, Essex, led to the arrest of eight individuals following a "beach rave." The chaotic scene unfolded on Tuesday night near the Adventure Island theme park, where shocking footage captured on social media showed at least four people dressed in black, brandishing large knives and slashing at each other. The incident resulted in several individuals sustaining critical injuries, prompting swift action from the authorities. Southend East and Rochford MP Bayo Alaba expressed his deep concern and extended his thoughts to those affected, emphasizing the severity of the situation. He noted that similar incidents had occurred around the same time the previous year, highlighting a worrying pattern that needed urgent attention. Alaba stated, "This time last year it happened as well, this is a pattern now and because it is a pattern we have to look at it differently and see what we can do to mitigate it. I am just speechless looking at the videos and seeing how it unfolded, it is truly alarming. At the end of the day, we don't want this on our streets and in our community." Essex Police responded to the violence, which broke out around 7pm on one of the hottest days of the year, by implementing a section 60 dispersal order. This followed reports of an assault with an offensive weapon at Marine Parade at approximately 7.40pm. An individual was arrested at the scene on suspicion of possessing a bladed article and causing grievous bodily harm. Seven additional arrests followed, although further details were not immediately provided. The section 60 order, which remained in effect until 8pm the following day, granted officers the authority to stop and search individuals, their belongings, and their vehicles for weapons. The police swiftly cleared the seafront and nearby high street by 11.30pm, and additional patrols were conducted overnight to ensure public safety. Martin Richardson, the owner of Happidrome Arcade, revealed that a "beach rave" organized on TikTok had drawn people to Southend. He condemned the violence, stating, "No knife attack is acceptable full stop, and I hope these perpetrators are caught. It should have been dealt with, these larger groups meet up with other groups." Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin condemned the dangerous behavior and emphasized the swift police response to ensure public safety. "These arrests were made quickly to keep the public safe, and we have multiple lines of enquiry to identify more suspects and bring them to justice. I’d like to reassure the wider public that these were targeted attacks involving just a small fraction of the visitors to Southend yesterday. I’d also like to thank our partners in the British Transport Police and the security teams working in Southend for their support in dispersing the crowds and ensuring the public left the area covered by our dispersal order." He further stated, "The stop and search powers in place have already taken weapons off the streets of Southend and we will not hesitate to stop anyone we believe is carrying a weapon. If you carry a knife in Essex, you will not get away with it. Our officers will be in the city and on the seafront again today, so please speak to one of our officers if you have any information about last night’s disorder." The incident highlights ongoing concerns about public safety and the challenges authorities face in preventing violent outbreaks at large gatherings. The community and law enforcement agencies are now tasked with addressing the underlying issues and preventing future occurrences of such dangerous behavior. The authorities remain vigilant, and the local community hopes for a resolution that ensures the safety and security of all residents and visitors to Southend. Credit: Evening Standard 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

Vice President Kamala Harris has remarkably erased Donald Trump’s lead across seven critical battleground states, according to the latest Bloomberg News/Morning Consult survey. This unexpected development underscores a significant shift in the political dynamics as Harris leverages growing enthusiasm among young, Black, and Hispanic voters, positioning herself as a formidable contender against the former president. The survey reveals that Harris has secured the backing of 48% of voters, narrowly surpassing Trump, who stands at 47%. This statistical dead heat marks a more favorable standing for Harris compared to President Joe Biden, who trailed by two points before his withdrawal from the race. In pivotal states like Arizona and Nevada, Harris has overtaken Trump and has significantly widened Biden’s previous lead in Michigan. These numbers suggest Harris has the potential to reassemble the voter coalition that once propelled President Barack Obama to the White House, offering her a clearer path to victory than Biden, who struggled to galvanize the Democratic base. Just over a week into Harris becoming the presumptive nominee, the poll provides early indications that the Democratic Party’s bold move to replace an incumbent president on the ballot is yielding the desired effect. However, the race remains fiercely competitive. Across the surveyed swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—the gap between Harris and Trump is within the poll’s statistical margin of error. Harris may currently be experiencing a “honeymoon phase,” as described by Trump’s top pollster, but she faces challenges in gaining trust on critical issues such as the economy and immigration. Nevertheless, the survey highlights a surge in enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket under Harris. Her candidacy appears to have energized key constituencies in the swing states, with more than one-third of voters indicating they are much more likely to vote now that the contest is between Trump and Harris. This sentiment is particularly strong among Black and Hispanic voters, with 49% and 44% respectively saying they are much more likely to cast ballots in November. Nearly two-thirds of Black voters reported being somewhat or much more likely to vote. Kamala moves the needle. People are excited,” said Robert Banks in downtown Marietta, Georgia, where he was distributing liquor to a local business. Banks, who is 47 and Black, plans to vote for the vice president. Although he admired Biden, he felt the president’s age made him vulnerable to attacks by Trump. Banks expressed relief at having a different candidate at the top of the ticket, despite his dissatisfaction with how Biden was “forced out.” “I’m definitely not for Trump,” he said. “We can’t go through four more years of him.” Harris’ appeal to Black and Hispanic voters poses a significant challenge for the Trump campaign, which has long aimed to court these groups, particularly younger men. This strategy was seen as a way for the GOP to broaden its support beyond its traditional base and compensate for a likely deficit among suburban women. However, Biden’s withdrawal has disrupted this plan. Trump has struggled to define Harris without appearing racist or sexist, risking alienation of swing-state voters. Additionally, Trump faces ongoing legal challenges, including being a convicted felon found liable for both sexual abuse and defamation, with an order to pay $83 million. Harris has capitalized on these issues by highlighting her record as a prosecutor. Political operatives suggest that the new match-up could alter the electoral strategies for both parties. Harris’ candidacy has bolstered Democratic prospects in states like Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, creating more potential paths to victory than seemed possible for the 81-year-old Biden. However, Harris must still perform well in northern industrial states. While she is ahead in Michigan and slightly ahead in Wisconsin according to the new poll, Trump maintains a lead in Pennsylvania. These factors are crucial as Harris considers her choice for a running mate, aiming to solidify her position and maximize her chances of winning the presidency. Credit: Bloomberg 2024-08-01 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.