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Thailand Jan tourist arrivals rise 4.9% year-on-year: tourism ministry
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3
Turning over a new leaf: How can I change my life to make my remaining years glorious?
Can you revise that to "no time" instead of "less time"? -
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90 day online ... last 90 day, there was a glitch a week later approval
The rather ditzy women at Immigration do not seem to know anything about a "grace period". They demanded an extra 2000 baht when the online submission ran me two days late because it was rejected, Later, I learn that they are having "problems" with the online submissions. There seems to be almost no way to win. That said, my agent's son told me he could do the 90 day reports for me. He can speak to them in Thai and get results. If I understood him correctly, he will do this for no charge. He and his Mom already handle my Extensions of Stay. The Mom is my landlady. Apparently SOME good news. I'm tired of being ripped off by Immigration. -
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UK frozen pension returning to UK and going overseas again at a later date!
Confused again? Seems like it, but maybe you could point the forum in the direction of this "elongated post" just to show us your post is accurate? Thought not. 🙄 -
9
Trump appeal against ridiculous fine looks like a winner
I agree, they will probably roll it back to the initial fine, but I think they should make a provision that the next time he denounces her again $5 million gets added at each update. Each of these appeals costs him plenty even without the fine. Maybe during breaks in the court proceeding he can hawk watches in Foley Square (the location of the courthouse) to try to raise cash for the attorneys. Or if a Black person comes along he can try to sell them the sneakers. -
2
TRUMP WATCHES
psssttt, wanna buy a watch? He's sunk to a NYC sidewalk hawker. For someone who doesn't need anybody else's money he sure is eager to take other people's money "Have you no shame, sir?" Actually, I think those NFTs of him are even lower. Maybe his next step downward will be be an adult web site featuring his current wife in various phases of undress and, umm, frolicking. Maybe that book of her that recently came out is just the start. -
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Ellen DeGeneres, a shameless return to standup that's unfunny
She is just too......TOMish....for me..... Also, she has always reminded me of ...... This guy: -
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Kamala Harris Shifts Position on Border Wall, Signaling Tougher Stance on Immigration
Kamala Harris, once a vocal critic of the border wall during Donald Trump’s presidency, now pledges to allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to extend the barrier along the southern border if elected president. This shift comes as Harris embraces a more aggressive immigration policy, a significant departure from her previous liberal positions on issues such as Medicare for All and fracking, which her campaign now opposes. Harris’ campaign appears to be adapting to the pressure of Trump’s repeated attacks on her stance on border security. While Harris now supports measures for the wall, she maintains key differences with Trump, particularly opposing family separation policies and mass deportation plans. In her recent speech at the Democratic National Convention, Harris voiced her intention to sign the bipartisan border security bill, a piece of legislation that Trump had previously blocked due to concerns it would politically benefit Democrats in the upcoming election. The bill, negotiated by Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), mandates that hundreds of millions of unspent funds be used to continue the construction of the border wall. Lankford remarked that the bill carries forward the standards set during the Trump administration regarding the structure’s height and location. "It requires the Trump border wall," Lankford told Axios, clarifying that the bill specifies where and how the wall must be built. The legislation’s estimated cost for continuing the wall stands at $650 million, a significant reduction from the $18 billion that Trump originally requested in 2018. However, Harris’ camp argues that this legislation is not a full endorsement of Trump's wall and highlights that it involves much more than just wall funding. Her advisers pointed out that the bill does not allocate new money for the wall but merely extends the timeline for using funds appropriated during Trump's presidency, albeit with new restrictions to ensure these funds are used strictly for barriers. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to address the overloaded immigration system, such as increasing funding for asylum lawyers and judges, and grants the president the authority to close the border if more than 5,000 migrants cross in a single day. This is a sharp contrast from Harris’ earlier stance. When she first ran for president in 2019, she condemned Trump’s wall as a "medieval vanity project" and consistently opposed any funding for its construction. In a 2020 Facebook post, Harris declared, "Trump's border wall is a complete waste of taxpayer money and won't make us any safer." Earlier, in 2017, shortly after joining the Senate, she called the wall a "stupid use of money" and vowed to block any efforts to fund it. Harris' recent support of the bipartisan border security bill has raised eyebrows, even among some of her political colleagues. Senator Lankford expressed surprise at Harris' full embrace of the bill, noting that she had not participated in the negotiations. "We never saw any vice president staff here," Lankford remarked. "I know she's talking about it now, but she wasn't talking about it at all before." Meanwhile, Senator Murphy described the bill as "aggressive," noting that it introduces new tools to manage the border but also emphasized that it does not stray from the nation's core values. Although President Biden had criticized Trump for killing the compromise bill, some Democrats, including Senator Alex Padilla of California, took issue with the conservative nature of the policies within it. Padilla opposed the bill, stating that it "fails to provide relief for a single Dreamer, a single farmworker, a single essential worker or long-term resident." Harris has positioned herself as a hardliner on immigration in her campaign ads, showcasing her time as California's attorney general and highlighting her support for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents. These moves come as Trump’s campaign continues to attack her on the administration’s struggles to handle surges of migrants at the southern border. Harris' evolving stance on immigration reflects how the political conversation around border security has shifted in recent years, largely influenced by Trump’s presidency. Her willingness to support aspects of the border wall is a marked departure from her earlier rhetoric, illustrating the pressures and complexities of immigration policy in contemporary American politics. Based on a report from: AXIOS 2024-09-28 -
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Moustached Man Refuses to Leave Women's Restroom, Citing Gender Identity
In an unusual incident at a nightclub in Leeds, a man with a moustache refused to leave the women's restroom, claiming he "identifies as a woman." The situation unfolded on a student night at The Warehouse, a popular club in West Yorkshire, and left many attendees shocked. Connie Shaw, a 20-year-old student from the University of Leeds, described her encounter with the man, who has not been publicly identified. According to Ms. Shaw, she and a friend had entered the women's lavatory when they noticed the man inside. She recounted how other women in the restroom were already confronting him, telling him to leave. His response to the complaints was a simple, “I identify as a woman.” Connie Shaw Ms. Shaw, a third-year student studying philosophy, ethics, and religion, explained that the man’s response seemed rehearsed, as if he anticipated being questioned about his presence. “He said straight away, ‘I identify as a woman,’ because he knows and other men know that that is what will get them into women’s spaces,” she told *The Telegraph*. She also noted that the man was not using the facilities but was simply standing by a cubicle, watching others. “He wasn’t queuing, he was just standing there with his back to a cubicle just watching,” she added. Following the confrontation, a nightclub bouncer was alerted, and the man was removed from the premises. Ms. Shaw said the man was wearing a black T-shirt and sported a moustache, further fueling the discomfort of the women present. Despite reporting the incident to West Yorkshire Police, Ms. Shaw was informed that no crime had been committed and that it was up to the nightclub to handle the matter. Ms. Shaw, who is writing her dissertation on gender, has since voiced her frustration, particularly regarding the debates surrounding gender identity and women’s rights. A post she shared online about the incident caught the attention of J.K. Rowling, the famous author and outspoken gender-critical campaigner. Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Shaw expressed anger toward activists who claim incidents like this do not occur. “It makes me angry because trans activists say that this never happens – that terfs [trans-exclusionary radical feminists] fear-monger and make these things up,” she said. The issue of female-only spaces has been a contentious topic, especially as debates around gender identity continue to grow. Ms. Shaw emphasized the importance of maintaining these spaces, particularly in environments like nightclubs where women might already feel vulnerable. “There’s a reason why we have separate toilets, especially in a nightclub. We’re regressing. We’re harming young women in particular and violating women’s rights to have safe spaces,” she stated. She added that nightclubs, where incidents of assault are more common, should be especially mindful of maintaining these boundaries. "In a club especially, where you’re more likely to be assaulted in general, there needs to be somewhere for women to have a space." The nightclub, The Warehouse, has yet to release a comment on the incident. Based on a report from: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-28 -
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Mother of Five Dies After Brazilian Butt Lift in UK, Sparking Calls for Urgent Ban
Alice Webb, a 33-year-old mother of five, has tragically become the first person to die in the UK following a non-surgical liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL). Alice fell ill shortly after undergoing the procedure and passed away at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Her death has prompted an investigation by Gloucestershire Police, leading to the arrest of two individuals on suspicion of manslaughter. Both suspects have since been released on police bail. The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of non-surgical BBL procedures. **Save Face**, a UK organization that accredits practitioners offering non-surgical cosmetic treatments, has been actively advocating for a ban on these high-risk procedures. Speaking about Alice's death, Ashton Collins, the director of Save Face, expressed deep frustration, stating, “It makes me incredibly sad and angry that Alice’s death could and should have been prevented.” The organization has been warning the government since December 2023, urging them to take immediate action to outlaw liquid BBLs, which have led to life-threatening complications for many women. Ms. Webb's death marks the first known fatality from a non-surgical BBL in the UK. However, Save Face has reported over 500 women suffering from serious complications, with many developing sepsis or requiring corrective surgery. Ms. Collins emphasized that liquid BBL procedures are often falsely advertised on social media as risk-free and cheaper alternatives to surgical methods. “Liquid BBL procedures are a crisis waiting to happen,” she said. “All of the procedures reported to us were carried out by non-healthcare practitioners who are performing incredibly dangerous procedures in unsterile environments.” The BBL procedure involves the injection of hyaluronic acid to reshape the buttocks. While this procedure is technically legal in the UK, it can be performed by unqualified individuals, increasing the risk of complications. Data has shown that botched procedures have left many women permanently disfigured, requiring extensive corrective surgery. One woman, who spoke to *The Independent*, shared how she was placed in a coma for four days following a liquid bum lift that went wrong, leaving her with long-term pain in her chest and arms. Alice Webb’s death has not only ignited public outrage but also shone a light on the dark side of the booming cosmetic surgery industry, which remains largely unregulated in many aspects. Her partner, Dane Knight, shared a heartfelt message on Facebook, thanking family and friends for their support during this difficult time. He wrote, “Please, please have these five girls’ feelings at heart here.” In what is believed to be Alice’s final Facebook post, she shared a photo of a pumpkin that had been given to her by a relative, captioning it simply: “How cute.” Alice’s best friend, Amy Seville, also took to social media to express her grief. “You were the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I’m heartbroken that you had to grow your angel wings,” she wrote. “Life will never be the same again.” Save Face’s ongoing efforts to ban non-surgical BBLs have gained new urgency following Alice’s death. “We launched a campaign in December 2023 calling upon the government to take urgent action to ban these procedures,” Ms. Collins said, adding, “I am devastated by the news of Alice’s passing.” The debate over the safety of cosmetic procedures, particularly those performed by unqualified individuals, is gaining traction. The Independent has recently reported hundreds of cases of women being rushed to the hospital after receiving botched cosmetic treatments from unregulated practitioners. Despite these warnings, the popularity of such procedures continues to rise, fueled by social media and promises of quick, affordable results. However, as Alice Webb’s tragic death illustrates, the risks of these treatments can be devastating, and the calls for stricter regulation are growing louder. Based on a report from: The Independent 2024-09-28 -
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Inside Hezbollah’s Secret Tunnels: A Hidden Threat to Israel
As I entered the Hezbollah tunnel, which extended from an opening in Israel’s Galilee region, the air was thick with dust. The passage, uncovered by Israeli forces in 2019, spanned half a mile and was dug by Hezbollah fighters using handheld drills. Descending the narrow stairwell, past walls faintly lit by electric cables, it was astonishing to think such a massive structure was created manually, rather than by industrial equipment. Evidence of the labor was everywhere, with circular marks along the walls left by the drills. It must have taken countless hours for Hezbollah’s men to construct this hidden tunnel. There are different types of tunnels in Hezbollah’s arsenal: offensive tunnels along the border, logistical tunnels for moving supplies, and those for storing missiles and air defense systems. They even have tunnels beneath civilian infrastructure, such as football fields and homes, making them harder to target. Hezbollah’s tunnels are only one element of their vast weaponry. Their missile stockpile is believed to be far more advanced than what Hamas has in Gaza, with thousands of missiles capable of reaching deep into Israel, including Iranian-made Fateh-110 and Syrian-made M-600 short-range ballistic missiles. In 2006, Hezbollah shocked Israel when they managed to reverse-engineer Israel’s Spike anti-tank missile, with Iran creating their own version called the Almas missile. This missile, like the original, can be launched from various platforms and poses a serious threat to Israeli forces stationed near the border. Hezbollah has also fired smaller rockets, such as Falaq-1, Falaq-2, and Katyusha artillery rockets, since early October 2023. In 2006, they used the Iranian Fajr-5, but their current arsenal is even more formidable. Despite international efforts after the 2006 war to disarm Hezbollah, the group has only strengthened its military capabilities with the help of Iran and other regional allies. Israeli military experts now view Hezbollah as a far more dangerous adversary than ever before, with trained ground forces numbering around 100,000, including 20,000 full-time combatants. Hezbollah’s tunnel network and missile stockpiles have become an integral part of its strategy, making any future conflict with Israel a complex and deadly proposition. According to former Israeli national security adviser Yaakov Amidror, Israel’s biggest mistake was not addressing the growing threat from Hezbollah sooner. “Before 2006, Israel was addicted to the quietness and was not ready to make any efforts to prevent Hezbollah from building its military capabilities,” he reflected. As tensions rise, the tunnel I visited in 2020 is a reminder of the vast and hidden dangers Israel may face. Colonel Levy, who would later lose his life in the October 7 Hamas attack, summed up the situation grimly: “You need to hate Israel very much to build these things.” Based on a report from: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-28 -
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Naomi Campbell Defends Role Amid Charity Mismanagement Scandal
Naomi Campbell, the iconic supermodel, has defended herself after being disqualified from serving as a charity trustee for five years due to serious mismanagement of funds in her charity, Fashion For Relief. Campbell, 54, founded the charity in 2005 with the goal of alleviating poverty through a combination of fashion and philanthropy. However, an investigation revealed that only a small portion of the charity's spending was allocated to actual charitable causes, while significant amounts were spent on personal luxuries, such as spa treatments and cigarettes. The Charity Commission, which regulates charities in England and Wales, launched an inquiry into Fashion For Relief in 2021, eventually dissolving the organization and removing it from the register of charities earlier this year. The investigation uncovered that only 8.5% of the charity’s expenditures between April 2016 and July 2022 went toward charitable grants. Misconduct included using the charity's funds to pay for Campbell’s stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, France, along with associated expenses such as room service, spa treatments, and cigarettes. Campbell expressed deep concern over the findings but maintained that she was not in direct control of the charity’s management. “I was not in control of my charity, I put the control in the hands of a legal employer,” she said after being honored with a knighthood in France's Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to French culture. She assured that an internal investigation was ongoing to determine the full extent of the mismanagement, adding, "We are investigating to find out what and how, and everything I do and every penny I ever raised goes to charity." As a result of the investigation, Campbell was disqualified from serving as a charity trustee for five years, alongside two other trustees, Bianka Hellmich and Veronica Chou, who were banned for nine and four years, respectively. The Charity Commission also recovered £344,000 and safeguarded an additional £98,000 in charitable funds. However, the report found no evidence that the trustees had taken sufficient action to ensure the charity’s fundraising methods were in its best interests or that its expenditures were justifiable. One of the more significant expenditures uncovered by the Charity Commission included a €14,800 (£12,300) flight from London to Nice in 2018 to transport art and jewelry for a fundraising event in Cannes. Additionally, the charity spent €9,400 (£7,800) on a three-night stay for Campbell at a five-star hotel in Cannes, expenses the trustees were unable to justify as cost-effective. Campbell’s personal expenses, totaling nearly €7,940 (£6,600), were also flagged, covering spa treatments, room service, and cigarettes. While the trustees claimed these expenses were often covered by donors, they failed to provide any evidence to support this assertion. Naomi Campbell, who rose to global fame after being discovered as a schoolgirl, was the first Black British model to grace the cover of British Vogue. In addition to her iconic career in fashion, Campbell recently welcomed her second child, a son, in 2023, two years after giving birth to her first child, a daughter, shortly before her 51st birthday. Based on a report from: Sky News 2024-09-28 -
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Baroness Warsi Resigns from Tory Party Amid Investigation into 'Divisive' Remarks
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Britain's first Muslim Cabinet minister, resigned from the Conservative Party last night after the party initiated an investigation into comments deemed “divisive.” Warsi, who has long been a prominent figure in British politics, announced her departure from the party, citing its shift towards the “far Right” as the primary reason for her decision. Warsi, who was appointed to the Cabinet in 2010 by then-Prime Minister David Cameron, faced recent scrutiny for her public comments. Earlier this month, she openly celebrated the acquittal of a protester who had been accused of carrying a placard that referred to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman as “coconuts.” The term "coconut" is widely seen as a racist slur, suggesting a person of color is betraying their community by aligning with white interests. Warsi's subsequent tweet, in which she posted a picture of herself drinking from a coconut, sparked further controversy and led to complaints within the Conservative Party. Kemi Badenoch, a prominent Tory leadership candidate, confirmed that complaints had been lodged following Warsi's tweet. In response to the situation, a Conservative Party spokesperson stated, “Complaints were received regarding divisive language allegedly used by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. Baroness Warsi was informed an investigation was about to begin earlier this week. We have a responsibility to ensure that all complaints are investigated without prejudice.” Reacting to the investigation, Lady Warsi took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express her deep disappointment with the direction the Conservative Party has taken. "It is with a heavy heart that I have today informed my whip and decided for now to no longer take the Conservatives’ whip," she wrote. Warsi emphasized that her decision to resign was not taken lightly. “This is a sad day for me. I am a Conservative and remain so, but sadly the current party are far removed from the party I joined and served in Cabinet,” she explained. Warsi voiced her frustration with what she perceived as a growing divide within the party and its treatment of different communities. “My decision is a reflection of how far Right my party has moved and the hypocrisy and double standards in its treatment of different communities,” she stated. Adding to her statement, Warsi declared, “I will not be gagged on a point of principle. And I am not prepared to play games behind closed doors.” Baroness Warsi’s resignation comes just days before the release of her upcoming book, *Muslims Don’t Matter*, which is expected to explore issues of identity and representation in British society. Based on a report from: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-28 -
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Former Detective Claims Relationship Between Mohamed al Fayed and Police Felt Corrupt
A former chief superintendent of the Metropolitan Police has spoken out about the unsettlingly close relationship between Mohamed al Fayed’s Harrods and the police force, describing it as feeling "like a corrupt relationship." Stephen Otter, who held a senior role within the force, made these comments in an interview with Sky News, painting a troubling picture of the interactions between law enforcement and the luxury department store. According to Otter, the Met Police had a "special relationship" with Harrods, one that he was introduced to upon taking up his post in 1999 as borough commander for Kensington and Chelsea. He revealed that the arrangement involved the police providing "additional resources at Christmas," with the officers receiving lavish hampers and enjoying drinks at Christmas parties, all funded by Fayed’s iconic store. Otter recalled being told by another officer that this relationship was mutually beneficial: "which benefits both us and them." Watch: Lawyers representing the alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed have said in a new statement that they now represent 60 survivors. Reflecting on his early days in the borough, Otter described being issued with a police car that had been paid for by Harrods. The car, emblazoned with the Harrods logo, looked "more like a Harrods vehicle than a police vehicle." When he attempted to return the car to Harrods, he was met with resistance from a security boss who insisted the arrangement had been in place for years and that other senior officers had benefited from the perks, including Christmas hampers. Otter was told that once he had been around longer, he would "have a better understanding of this relationship." This relationship extended beyond cars and hampers. Otter mentioned how Harrods had its own detention center, which was "better than any detention center" he had seen within the entire Metropolitan Police. As he conducted a review of police operations, Otter concluded that Harrods was receiving a disproportionate level of support. He said, "Our policing of Harrods was like policing a Premiership match, and the risk just literally didn’t support the resources and the attention they got." Complaints from Harrods’ security boss further highlighted the cozy dynamic. Otter was informed that officers regularly visited the store "asking for freebies." When asked if he believed Met officers were corrupt, Otter responded, "I think they probably were," suggesting that the culture had made such behavior normalized. "It felt like a corrupt relationship on both sides," he admitted, emphasizing that Harrods held significant power over the police, with the store having "huge amounts of power over the leaders of the areas of policing around them." One of the more troubling aspects Otter discussed was how this close relationship may have negatively impacted police investigations into Fayed. He alleged that Harrods' security boss had access to sensitive information from the Met due to these ties. He described this as an "insidious infiltration" that not only benefited both parties but also potentially masked and created opportunities for Fayed’s alleged sexual misconduct. "Having a relationship with the police at a high level is so powerful," Otter remarked, underscoring how such influence could have compromised the integrity of investigations. He expressed concerns about the ease with which such relationships could enable individuals to "ring up people and say ‘can you just do a check on this person?’" Such access, he argued, "endangers the legitimacy that the British police service has." Based on a report from: Sky News 2024-09-28 -
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Iranian Hackers Indicted for Targeting Trump’s 2024 Election Meddling Campaign
A federal grand jury has indicted several Iranian nationals for their involvement in a hacking operation targeting Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the Iranians are accused of stealing internal communications from the campaign earlier this year. Although the specific charges and identities of the defendants have yet to be disclosed, it is reported that the grand jury approved the indictment in secret. The Department of Justice is expected to make an official announcement soon. In the summer, hackers allegedly accessed sensitive documents from Trump’s campaign and distributed them to journalists and individuals associated with President Joe Biden’s reelection team. This occurred before Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee. Despite the serious nature of the breach, both the Justice Department and Trump’s campaign have refrained from public comment so far. The Trump campaign publicly acknowledged the hack in August after media outlets such as POLITICO received internal materials from an anonymous source. Among the stolen documents was a research dossier on Senator JD Vance, who is Trump’s running mate. The campaign pointed fingers at Tehran for the breach. A subsequent report from Microsoft revealed that in June, Iranian hackers had targeted a senior member of Trump’s campaign with a spear-phishing attack. Earlier this month, U.S. security agencies released a rare statement confirming that stolen materials from Trump’s campaign had indeed been sent to people connected to Biden’s campaign. However, the statement emphasized that there was no evidence the recipients acted on the information. Iranian attempts to infiltrate the Biden campaign have also been documented. Google’s cybersecurity team noted Iranian efforts to breach the campaign, though no evidence suggests these attempts were successful. “Russia, Iran, and China are trying by some measure to exacerbate divisions in U.S. society for their own benefit, and see election periods as moments of vulnerability,” said U.S. security agencies in a statement, highlighting the ongoing foreign efforts to influence American politics. This latest indictment is part of a broader pattern of federal action against foreign hackers, often targeting those in nations that are hostile to the United States. Although it is unlikely that these individuals will ever face arrest due to their location, U.S. officials hope that publicly naming these hackers may serve as a deterrent to future cyberattacks. In a related development, the Trump campaign claimed this week that U.S. intelligence officials informed them of an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. This follows an earlier case in which a Pakistani man was charged by the Justice Department with plotting on behalf of Iran to kill high-ranking U.S. officials. While the target was not named, reports suggest that Trump was the intended victim. The motive behind these threats is believed to stem from Iran’s desire for revenge after the U.S. assassinated Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Soleimani, the former head of Iran’s Quds Force, was killed in a U.S. airstrike ordered by Trump. The Quds Force, responsible for foreign military operations, has long been classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Since Soleimani’s death, several former Trump administration officials have maintained security due to continued threats from Iran. Foreign interference in U.S. elections has been an ongoing issue for years. In 2016, Russian operatives famously hacked and released emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign, creating a scandal that embarrassed the Democratic nominee. The Russian government also orchestrated a social media campaign to amplify divisions in U.S. society and promote Trump’s candidacy. More recently, the Justice Department charged two employees of Russian state media with funneling money to far-right American social media influencers. The goal of the operation was to spread pro-Trump and anti-Ukraine messages. As the U.S. prepares for another contentious election, foreign efforts to influence American politics show no signs of abating. Based on a report from: Politico 2024-09-28 -
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US Catholic Diocese Settles $323 Million with Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre in Long Island, New York, has reached a bankruptcy settlement totaling over $323 million to compensate more than 530 survivors of child sexual abuse. The settlement marks a significant resolution in a case that almost collapsed after initial offers were rejected. Victims had accused priests of abusing them as children, and the long-awaited deal provides a financial remedy for those affected. The diocese, which serves around 1.2 million Catholics in Nassau and Suffolk counties, had earlier faced the possibility of a failed bankruptcy settlement after survivors turned down a previous offer of $200 million. US Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn, overseeing the case in Manhattan, stated that the agreement represented "enormous progress," highlighting how close the settlement had come to collapsing. Under the new agreement, Rockville Centre will contribute $234.8 million to the settlement fund, while four insurers will provide an additional $85.3 million. Further contributions are expected from another insurer currently undergoing a separate insolvency process, as well as from attorneys representing the survivors. Eric Fasano, a spokesperson for the diocese, expressed relief at the settlement, stating that it would ensure “the equitable compensation of survivors of abuse while allowing the church to continue her essential mission.” The settlement follows the diocese’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2020, a move it made due to the mounting costs of lawsuits related to clergy sexual abuse cases dating back decades. This case is not unique to Rockville Centre. In recent years, more than two dozen Catholic dioceses in the United States have filed for bankruptcy after states, including New York, passed laws allowing victims of child sexual abuse to sue for decades-old crimes. This settlement may set a precedent for other dioceses facing similar claims. For example, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, which filed for bankruptcy in May 2020, recently proposed a $62.5 million settlement. However, claimants in that case are pushing for a higher settlement of $217 million, with expectations that insurers could contribute an additional $800 million. The legal landscape for these dioceses has shifted dramatically following a recent US Supreme Court ruling. The ruling, related to the bankruptcy of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, restricted the ability of bankruptcy courts to offer broad legal protections to non-bankrupt entities contributing to settlement funds. This ruling has forced Catholic dioceses to find new methods of securing contributions from insurers and parishes, which had traditionally provided funds in exchange for protection from further lawsuits. To overcome these challenges, Rockville Centre devised a solution by agreeing to have all of its parishes file for bankruptcy. This allowed the parishes to subject their assets and liabilities to court oversight, which in turn enabled them to gain legal protections. According to the diocese's attorney, Corinne Ball, insurers then agreed to buy back their policies from both the diocese and the parishes, effectively ending their responsibility for covering the sexual abuse claims. The settlement brings a degree of closure to the survivors and the diocese, though the trauma and pain inflicted by the abuse will remain. With more dioceses across the country grappling with similar claims, the Rockville Centre settlement may offer a framework for others to follow. Based on a report from: The Guardian 2024-09-28
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