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Lucknow, Dec 23 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that at a time when many countries are at war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha. Welcoming a delegation led by Governor of Japan's Yamanashi Province Kotaro Nagasaki at his official residence here, Adityanath described UP as a state of "Unlimited Potential". An MoU was signed between the Uttar Pradesh government and Yamanashi Prefecture (Japan) for industrial cooperation, tourism and vocational education in the presence. "The roots of strategic, cultural and global cooperation have been connected between the two countries for more than a millennium. Today, when many countries of the world are at war, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha," Adityanath said. "The strong relations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister of Japan, late Shinzo Abe, have also taken the political, economic and business relations of India-Japan to new heights," he said. "The state government is keen to cooperate with Japanese companies. Japan also provided great support as a partner country for the Global Investors Summit-2023," Adityanath said. On behalf of the state government, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of the Governor's Policy Planning Bureau of Yamanashi Province Junichi Ishidera exchanged the MoU, the UP government said in a statement. Adityanath said the MoU is a result of the prime minister's commitment to work together with the Quad countries for humanity on the basis of shared democratic values. Currently, more than 1,400 Japanese companies are operating in India, including seven major firms -- Mitsui Technologies, Honda Motors, Yamaha Motors, Denso, Toyodrunk, Nissin ABC Logistics, Sekisui DLJM Molding -- operating in Uttar Pradesh. Economic co-operation between India and Japan is very rich, he said, and added that bilateral trade between the two countries has been USD 22.854 billion in the financial year 2023-24. During this period, USD 17.69 billion was exported from Japan to India and USD 5.15 billion was imported. Adityanath told the Japanese delegation that Uttar Pradesh is getting a new identity as an 'expressway state'. After the construction of the Ganga Expressway, Uttar Pradesh will have 55 per cent share in the total expressways of the country. At present, five expressways of a total length of 1,130 km are operational, he said. The UP CM said that in the electronics and IT/ITES sector, Uttar Pradesh has the distinction of contributing about 45 per cent of India's total mobile manufacturing. About 55 per cent of India's mobile components are manufactured here. About 26 per cent of India's mobile manufacturers are active in Uttar Pradesh and more than 200 ESDM companies are located in the state. The state government is developing clusters for semi-conductor manufacturing and fab-units. Apart from this, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly emerging as the main hub of data centers in India, he said. On this occasion, Governor Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan, Kotaro Nagasaki said there have been spiritual and historical relations between Yamanashi Prefecture and Uttar Pradesh. Expressing happiness over the MoU, he said that Japan will provide mutual cooperation in labour skilled development, renewable energy, hydro power, exchange of knowledge and technology. He told the chief minister that "Japan is your second home", the statement said, adding Adityanath also spoke a few lines in Japanese. Later, in a post on X, Adityanath said, "Had a productive meeting and fruitful discussion with Mr. Kotaro Nagasaki, Hon. Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, and his delegation at my official residence in Lucknow today." "An MoU was signed between Uttar Pradesh and Yamanashi to promote collaboration in industrial cooperation, tourism, and the vocational education sector. Looking forward to exploring new opportunities for economic and cultural exchange together," he said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)Welp. This season is officially off the rails. Ohio State thoroughly handled Indiana. Oklahoma trounced Alabama. Florida dashed Mississippi's playoff hopes. Auburn upset Texas A&M. Arizona State and Kansas sent the Big 12 into chaos with their wins over BYU and Colorado. Notre Dame resoundingly ended Army's magical run. And that was all in one week! There are more than 60 voters on the AP Top 25 panel. There’s at least one voter from each state that has an FBS team and a handful of national folks. For the state of Nebraska, there’s one voter. Each week I will break down my ballot compared with the actual Top 25 and write on some pressing topics. Without further ado, here is my ballot ahead of Week 14: And here is the actual AP Top 25 for Week 14: Nothing makes sense. I think Ohio State is the best team in the nation right now. However, the Buckeyes remain No. 2 behind undefeated Oregon. Penn State, even at 10-1, doesn't feel inspiring. Barely beating Minnesota? Not cause to be optimistic. I think Indiana still deserves more credit than it gets. The whole "who have they played" narrative is tired. Of their 10 wins, three teams are bowl-eligible in Nebraska, Washington and Michigan. And Michigan State is at five wins ahead of a Week 14 game against Rutgers. I don't know what to make of the SEC or the Big 12. The SEC might be lucky to get three teams into the College Football Playoff. Two feels reasonable, but three feels like a stretch — especially depending on the final week of the regular season. Every game is winnable for the ranked SEC teams. But every game is losable, too. Auburn could beat Alabama. Texas A&M could beat Texas. Vanderbilt could beat Tennessee. And, man, how about Florida? The Gators, after everything, could finish the season 7-5. Heck, even winless Mississippi State could pull off an Egg Bowl miracle over Mississippi. But regardless of what happens, thanks to tiebreakers, Georgia has clinched the SEC championship game. There's a possibility that the Big 12 gets left out of the CFP. If Boise State runs the table in the Mountain West and Tulane runs the table in the American, there's a possibility that both of them, in two weeks, are ranked ahead of whichever Big 12 team decides it wants to win the conference. Kansas, after being left for dead at 2-6, has rattled off three straight wins over ranked teams and could be bowl-eligible with a win over Baylor. Who's going to even make the Big 12 title game? Four teams are tied at 6-2 heading into the final week of the regular season, and there's plenty of potential chaos on the horizon. And Army... congrats on a great start to the season. Apologies that it had to end the way it did against Notre Dame. Now, was Army's schedule — in retrospect — pretty cupcakey? You betcha. Florida Atlantic, Rice, Temple, Tulsa and East Carolina have all already fired their coaches. And UAB probably should, too. Did I still have them ranked this week? I did. Mostly out of the notion that winning games, above all else, is the most important piece of the puzzle here. And because, honestly, the bottom of the poll is an absolute dumpster fire that's impossible to ascertain. Also, with one week left in the regular season, 77 teams have clinched bowl eligibility out of the possible 82 spots. Two more teams are guaranteed to reach their sixth win this week as there are two games both featuring 5-win teams. There are also 12 other teams that could win and reach a sixth win. It's been a while since there were too many bowl-eligible teams — another sign of the chaos that's unfolded this year. Three teams rose five or more spots this week and one team made a return to the Top 25. Arizona State: The biggest riser of the week? The Sun Devils. They jumped up seven spots to No. 14 after their chaotic victory over BYU. That's three straight wins for Arizona State, two of which came over teams that were ranked at the time. Clemson : The Tigers jumped five spots this week to No. 12 after their convincing victory over The Citadel paired with other teams dropping spots with losses. Iowa State : The Cyclones also rose five spots after narrowly beating an injury-riddled Utah squad. That's two straight wins for the Cyclones, putting them at 9-2 and in a must-win spot this week in Farmaggedon. Missouri: Tigers fans must have whiplash. Missouri is back in the Top 25 this week after a brief stint on the outside looking in. The Tigers vaulted back in at No. 24 after beating Mississippi State, 39-20, to move to 8-3 on the season. Seven teams dropped five or more spots this week, and one team dropped out. Army: Losing like that to Notre Dame? That'll send you tumbling. Army fell seven spots this week, narrowly holding onto the No. 25 spot. Colorado: Colorado also dropped seven spots after losing to Kansas, 37-21, falling to No. 23. The Buffaloes are still in the hunt, but they're in a must-win situation against Oklahoma State this week. Alabama : The Crimson Tide is on red alert this week after they not only lost to Oklahoma, which is bad enough, but only scored three points in the game. For that, Alabama fell six spots to No. 13. Indiana : Well, the fun story of an undefeated Indiana is over. The Hoosiers lost to Ohio State and dropped five spots to No. 10. The Hoosiers could still eclipse their 11th win of the season this week when they host the struggling Purdue Boilermakers to close out the regular season. Mississippi: Mississippi said goodbye to its playoff hopes with a loss to Florida, tumbling six spots down the rankings to No. 15. BYU : The Cougars have now lost two in a row — one to Kansas and now to Arizona State. The Cougars, once the Big 12's best story of the season, fell five spots this week to No. 19. Texas A&M: Texas A&M, after losing a close game to Auburn, 43-41, dropped five spots to No. 20. Oddly enough, though, Texas A&M is still in position to make the SEC title game. Just have to get through ~checks notes~ Texas this week to get there. Washington State: The Cougars lost the de facto Pac-2 Championship Game, so they fell out this week. I didn't want any three-loss teams on my ballot at all last week, but after the chaos of this week, it was impossible to do that again. So, I kept all the three-loss teams below No. 15. And that makes my ballot a little funky compared to the consensus poll. The biggest "miss" I had was Tennessee. I had the Volunteers at No. 11, while they came in at No. 7. Their most recent win came over a struggling UTEP that's 2-9 on the season. Before that, they lost to Georgia. Before that, they beat the only winless team in SEC play in Mississippi State. Now, I'm of the mindset that you have to win the games on your schedule, but they're pretty tough to figure out. Also, I had Memphis ranked instead of Missouri. Here are the games I have circled for this week: No. 16 South Carolina (8-3, 5-3) at No. 12 Clemson (9-2, 7-1) : It's been a long time since the Palmetto Bowl featured two ranked teams — 11 years, in fact. Going to be a fun one in Clemson. 11 a.m. kick Saturday on ESPN. No. 3 Texas (10-1, 6-1) at No. 20 Texas A&M (8-3, 5-2): The Lone Star Showdown is back after a 12-year hiatus, and the stakes are incredibly high as the winner will advance to the SEC title game to face Georgia. 6:30 p.m. kick on Saturday on ABC. Kansas State (8-3, 5-3) at No. 17 Iowa State (9-2, 6-2) : The Big 12 is a mess, and this game will directly influence who makes the Big 12 title game. 6:30 p.m. kick on FOX. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
ATLANTA (AP) — Even the woeful NFC South, where no team has a winning record, can't hide the Atlanta Falcons' offensive shortcomings. Three straight setbacks, including an ugly 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, has left the Falcons 6-6 and feeling the pressure. Only a tiebreaker advantage over Tampa Bay has kept the Falcons atop the division. Now the Falcons must prepare to visit streaking Minnesota, which has won five straight . Veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett knows the Falcons must solve the flaws which have been exposed in the losing streak. “It’s now or never,” Jarrett said. “You have to flip the mindset fast.” Kirk Cousins threw four interceptions in the loss, matching his career high. Coach Raheem Morris said he didn't consider playing rookie Michael Penix Jr. against the Chargers and won't think about benching Cousins this week. Morris acknowledged the Falcons can't expect to win when turning the ball over four times. It was the latest example of Atlanta's offensive decline. In the three-game losing streak, Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns. The Falcons were held under 20 points in each loss. If not for the rash of interceptions which has contributed to the scoring problems, more attention would be devoted to the surge of big plays on defense. The defense forced two fumbles and set a season high with five sacks, including two by Arnold Ebiketie. The Falcons ranked last in the league with only 10 sacks before finding success with their pass rush against Justin Herbert. Herbert was forced to hold the ball while looking for an open receiver, so some credit for the pass-rush success belongs to Atlanta's secondary. The Falcons gave up only two first downs in the second half and 187 yards for the game. Cousins, 36, was expected to be the reliable leader on offense after he signed a four-year, $180 million contract. The four interceptions were his most since 2014 with Washington. Cousins now will be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons as he returns to Minnesota, his NFL home from 2018-23. Cousins has thrown 13 interceptions, one shy of his career high set in 2022. His passer rating of 90.8 is his lowest since his 86.4 mark as a part-time starter in 2014 with Washington. “Certainly when you haven’t played at the standard you want to a few weeks in a row, you know, you do want to change that, turn it around,” Cousins said. Running back Bijan Robinson had his busiest day of the season, perhaps in an attempt to take heat off Cousins. Robinson's 26 carries set a career high. He ran for 102 yards with a touchdown, his third 100-yard game of the season. He also was heavily involved as a receiver with six catches for 33 yards. With 135 yards from scrimmage, Robinson has eight games this season with more than 100 yards combined as a rusher and receiver, the second-most in the league. Tight end Kyle Pitts had no catches on only two targets. He has only six catches in the last four games after appearing to establish momentum for a big season with two seven-catch games in a span of three weeks in October. Morris noted the Falcons have “so many people that we've got to get the ball to” but noted he'd like to see Pitts more involved. Younghoe Koo's hip issues were such a concern that kicker Riley Patterson was signed to the practice squad on Friday and added to the active roster Saturday. Patterson was on the inactive list as Koo was good on two of three field goals, missing from 35 yards. Koo has made 21 of 29 attempts this season. He did not have more than five misses in any of his first five seasons with Atlanta. 70 — WR Drake London had nine receptions for 86 yards, giving him 70 catches for the season. London, a 2022 first-round draft pick, is the first player in team history with at least 65 receptions in each of his first three seasons. While Ray-Ray McCloud III led the team with a career-best 95 yards on four catches against the Chargers and Darnell Mooney has had some big games, London has been the most consistent receiver. The Falcons face a difficult test Sunday in their visit to Minnesota (10-2), which has five straight wins and is 5-1 at home. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Fantasy Sports Market to Grow by USD 9.72 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Launch of Fantasy Sports Apps, AI Driving Market Transformation - TechnavioWASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee found “substantial evidence” that former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz solicited prostitutes, used illicit drugs like cocaine and ecstasy and may have violated Florida’s statutory rape law while he was a member of Congress, according to a long-awaited report released Monday . The committee interviewed a witness who said she had sex with Gaetz twice at a party in Florida while she was still 17, and multiple witnesses corroborated the account, according to the report. “The Committee concluded there was substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible gifts, the provision of special favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report states. Gaetz, who resigned from Congress last month and from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, has repeatedly denied the allegations. Earlier Monday, the former congressman filed a lawsuit as a last-ditch effort to block the release of the report, which had already been leaked to several outlets, including CNN and ABC News. “This action challenges the Committee’s unconstitutional and ultra vires attempt to exercise jurisdiction over a private citizen through the threatened release of an investigative report containing potentially defamatory allegations,” the filing stated. Gaetz has long battled allegations of misconduct, including that he had sex with a minor and used illicit drugs. ABC News reported in November that he paid more than $10,000 to two women who were later witnesses in both Justice Department and House probes into his alleged sexual misconduct. Gaetz has not been charged with any crimes, a point he made in a lengthy social media post Wednesday after learning the report would be made public. The House Ethics Committee, like the Justice Department , did not find sufficient evidence that Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws. Committee investigators, though, did find evidence that Gaetz regularly paid for sex while a member in the House. “In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked,” Gaetz wrote on social media Wednesday. “I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court — which is why no such claim was ever made in court. “My 30’s were an era of working very hard — and playing hard too,” said Gaetz, who is now 42. At least two individuals testified before Ethics Committee investigators that they had witnessed Gaetz using cocaine and ecstasy. According to the report, Gaetz also set up a “pseudonymous e-mail account from his House office in the Capitol complex for the purpose of purchasing marijuana.” In addition, the Ethics panel found that he made “tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women that the Committee determined were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use.” Per the report, Gaetz would occasionally pay women using “another person’s PayPal account or through an account tied to a pseudonymous e-mail.” The committee interviewed more than half a dozen “witnesses who attended parties, events, and trips with Representative Gaetz from 2017-2020. Nearly every young woman that the Committee interviewed confirmed that she was paid for sex by, or on behalf of, Representative Gaetz,” the report states, although some of those relationships were described as “a date-for-hire arrangement that may not necessarily implicate state prostitution laws.” Gaetz, according to the report, declined to answer the committee’s questions about the payments he made to the women. One of those payments, in the amount of $400 in cash, was allegedly made to the 17-year-old, identified in the report as Victim A, with whom Gaetz is alleged to have had sex at a July 15, 2017, party at a Florida lobbyist’s home, according to the report. The report states that Victim A “did not inform Representative Gaetz that she was under 18 at the time, nor did he ask her age,” but it also notes that a person charged with statory rape in Florida “may not claim ignorance or misrepresentation of the minor’s age as a defense.” Under Florida law , it is a felony for a person 24 years of age or older to engage in sexual activity with a 16- or 17-year-old. The victim told the committee that she had sex with Gaetz twice during the party, including at least once in the presence of other attendees. “At the time, she had just completed her junior year of high school,” the report states. Under scrutiny It has been a whirlwind nearly two months for Gaetz and the normally secretive Ethics panel, which is made up of five Republicans and five Democrats. Shortly after winning a fifth term representing Florida’s 1st District last month, Gaetz announced his resignation from Congress on Nov. 13, the same day Trump announced him as his choice for attorney general. News of Gaetz’s potential promotion sparked outrage from Democrats and some Republicans, along with demands that the Ethics report be made public, or at least shared with senators who would be tasked with confirming the Florida Republican. Amid the uproar, Gaetz pulled his name from consideration on Nov. 21 , seemingly imperiling the release of the report. The Ethics Committee does not have jurisdiction over former members, and cases end when a member leaves office. The committee has in some cases, however, released reports after a member has resigned. Gaetz, who on Sunday teased a potential Senate run from Florida in 2026, is expected to join the One America News network next month as an anchor. On Dec. 5, the committee met for a second time on the Gaetz report and issued a statement saying members were “continuing to discuss the matter.” The same day, two separate attempts by Democrats to force the committee to release the report were rejected on the House floor. According to the Ethics report, the committee voted to release the report at a subsequent meeting on Dec. 10. Assuming all five Democrats backed the release of the report, at least one Republican would have also had to vote in favor of making the document public, though the exact breakdown remains unclear. House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest, a Mississippi Republican, was among the committee members who objected to the release of the report. “While we do not challenge the Committee’s findings, we take great exception that the majority deviated from the Committee’s well-established standards and voted to release a report on an individual no longer under the Committee’s jurisdiction, an action the Committee has not taken since 2006,” Guest said in a dissenting view attached to the report. Democrats, including Illinois Rep. Sean Casten, who introduced one of the measures that would have forced the release of the report, cheered the news. “The release of the Gaetz Report is welcome news for all who care about integrity, accountability, and transparency in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Casten said in a statement Monday. ©2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
After recount, Newark council candidate ahead by just 4 votesWhen Claire realised she needed protection from a former partner, the warning she received was stark. Black Friday Sale Subscribe Now! Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue "If you go down this pathway, don't be surprised if the abuse gets worse. Don't be surprised if his behaviour towards you gets worse," she says police and lawyers told her about starting civil proceedings. "But you know, just call us. We're only a phone call away." The feeling of security a court-issued family violence order initially gave her was fleeting. "It doesn't really give you any safety. It's just words at the end of the day. So, you just are living in this constant state of fear," she tells ACM. Like Claire, Olivia's order doesn't make her feel any safer from a man she fears so much she has fled the ACT multiple times during civil and criminal proceedings. "What it did was made me feel like that was now the highest risk time," she says about the order being served. Thousands marched to Parliament House in April in the wake of Australian women dying at the hands of men. Picture by Keegan Carroll, Shutterstock Claire and Olivia's cases are, in many ways, similar examples of family violence. The pair have feared for the safety of their children and shared crisis services, and both describe the court orders purportedly protecting them as "just a piece of paper". They are also both referred to using pseudonyms for their safety and because identifying parties involved in protection order proceedings is illegal in the ACT. Messages, threats, murder Family violence order breaches are frequent in the territory and range from overt to surreptitious. They can be frighteningly creative, intimidating and, in some cases, fatal. Acts of violence, letters, stalking, deliveries, threats, notes, phone calls, bank transfer messages, or even a Spotify playlist have all been used to terrify victims who sought a legal form of security. One such order failed to stop a man from sending his ex-partner almost 1000 messages and threatening her life with a hunting knife . Another local abuser ignored the order his ex-wife obtained when he sent her 290 messages in one day and threatened to share a video of the pair having sex. In August, a serial perpetrator was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court for raping his former partner only hours after being released from jail. Justice David Mossop described the NSW apprehended domestic violence order in place designed to protect that territory victim as "completely ineffective". An order also didn't stop a man from sending his ex-partner pipe bomb and napalm-related threats, or an image of himself defiantly burning the legal document. Nor did the court's protection prevent Marcus Rappel from forcing his way into Tara Costigan's home and murdering her with an axe as she fed their newborn baby . A judge found the horrific attack was his retaliation to the interim order granted the previous day. Tara Costigan, who was murdered a day after being granted a family violence order. Picture supplied On the frontline, ACT police attended 3352 family violence incidents last financial year. Of the 1053 related apprehensions made, being any action commencing legal proceedings by charging someone, about 40 per cent of those people had been previously apprehended for family violence. This two-part series gives a voice to those whose accounts of abuse have been heard and vindicated by the courts but who feel let down, marginalised and left to fend for themselves by the criminal justice system. 'Just a piece of paper' Before splitting up with her high school sweetheart, Claire believed she was in a good marriage with a supportive and loving man. Looking back, she says: "I was 100 per cent in an abusive - emotionally abusive, financially abusive - relationship." "I see it now clear as day." After they separated, his communication turned into abusive text messages, berating calls and veiled threats. "The mask came off," she says, and she was eventually granted a family violence order after presenting the man's conduct to a court. The ACT Magistrates Court. Picture by Karleen Minney It would take police nearly two months to serve the order due to inter-jurisdictional complications. "Obviously I felt a bit of relief when I had the [order] granted. It was the first time I'd ever been in a situation like that and I thought, 'OK, I will feel safe from now on'," Claire recalls. "But of course, that's not the case. At the end of the day, it's just a piece of paper. It really doesn't do much in terms of stopping the behaviour. "More often than not they know that, they understand that, and they continue to do it." But despite the order being granted, Claire claims her ex-husband frequently breaches its conditions or purposefully hovers around its edges. "There have been occasions where he's been only a couple of metres away from me and he thinks it's quite funny," she says. "He will regularly staunch or stare at me or intimidate me, flex his muscles during drop off. And he does this in front of our kids - they've commented on it before." Claire believes it's the man's way of showing he can still scare and control her despite a court finding that type of behaviour warranted protection. ACT Magistrates can deal with dozens of family violence cases in a day. Picture by Karleen Minney "Breach left, right and centre - each time that has happened and nothing has been done. It emboldens the perpetrator," she says. "They already believe they're untouchable, and they can do whatever they want, and there are no consequences." 'You're on your own' Claire says police haven't taken alleged order breaches seriously and, for example, told her the man "could spin that and say that's not what actually happened". She recalls an occasion when her child joked about killing her if she didn't read them a book. The child told her they heard the chilling words from her ex-husband and been asked if they, too, wanted to "kill mummy". But it was the man's word against hers, Claire says police told her, and their child was too young to be considered a credible witness. April's National Rally Against Violence in Canberra. Picture by Keegan Carroll More recently, her ex-husband walked by her at an after-school event against the distance terms of the order and in sight of a witness who provided a supportive statement. But Claire says an officer told her they couldn't charge the man with a breach because he had simply taken "the most logical" route to his car. "This is the simplest example of why women don't trust police and why [orders] mean nothing," she says. "The overwhelming conclusion I have gotten from the court system - from the child protection systems, from the family violence systems, from the policing systems - is that unless you're experiencing the absolute worst of the worst, and even then, we probably won't help you." Claire was fortunate to be supported, both emotionally and financially, by her family. But she says many women aren't so lucky and "are essentially dropped on their asses and have to start over". "I think a lot of people start the process and go, 'This is f---ed, there's no point'," she says. "There is no point because nobody actually does anything and you're kind of left on your own to figure it out." 'Psychological torture of waiting' Like Claire, Olivia is disillusioned with the system after her former partner was convicted of multiple breaches of a protection order. It took police over a week and a half to serve him with that order and for it to take effect. Olivia acknowledges demands on the system but says the anxiety of waiting was unbearable during a time of extreme stress, change and uncertainty. The victim had already fled interstate by the time her former life partner was served, an action she was warned would increase her risk. The ACT Magistrates Court, where family violence orders are sought. Picture by Karleen Minney "The psychological torture of waiting, knowing that your risk could go through the roof at any minute, and you're expecting it ASAP," she says. "Every day you're just waiting for the phone call and you don't know when it's going to come." Olivia says the only thing the order being served did was give her more official recourse and force police to take her seriously if the man did something that was "not lethal". "But when your fear is that it's going to be lethal, it doesn't exactly do much for that. Does it?" she says. She escaped the relationship after making a startling and confronting discovery about her partner. "I went to the lawyer, and they called in [the Domestic Violence Crisis Service], and I didn't go home again," she says. "And then [my child] didn't go home again, so we didn't get to bring anything with us. We had what we were wearing when we left and then we went into hiding, effectively." An application form for an ACT family violence order. Picture supplied Olivia was later forced to wait multiple days before she could make a formal statement about the order's breaches and the man could subsequently be arrested. Coercive control Since leaving her former partner, Olivia and her child have been frequently displaced. "Relocating permanently, relocating temporarily, is all part of the considerations with safety planning and a very real aspect impacting people in this situation," she says. "[People incur] additional expenses with travel or the disruption to your life, to children's lives, to education, to your social connections, to your family, to your pets, to your home." According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 38 per cent of clients using specialist homelessness services in 2022-23 had experienced family and domestic violence. But Olivia says there is another part of her experience not getting enough coverage in the national conversation around violence. She believes there is a poor community understanding of coercive control, a pattern of abusive behaviour designed to undermine another person's autonomy. "I spent years in this relationship asking, 'Is this coercive control?' I know logically and rationally it is," she says. "But you don't trust your judgement." Olivia says perpetrators like her ex can hide their abuse from everyone outside the relationship, including police. ACT Policing says while coercive control is not criminalised in the ACT, it acknowledges it as a 'concerning behaviour and a risk factor'. Picture by Karleen Minney "He will present as very polite, very agreeable. And then he will manipulate that," she says. While a protection order can be sought over the controlling conduct in the ACT, the jurisdiction has not yet made coercive control a standalone criminal offence. Some local advocates believe the territory government should wait for greater community understanding before introducing laws , while others say the ACT is needlessly falling behind . But for Olivia, the "law is not good enough" and the territory government needs to criminalise coercive control as soon as possible because "lives are at stake". Based on her experience, the victim questions whether those working in the justice system are appropriately trained. "I just don't know that the police understand the perpetrator could completely believe they're the victim, wholeheartedly, genuinely believe they're the victim," she says. "They're going to behave like a victim, in a sense. But it's only with the specialist knowledge around coercive control you're going to pick up things in the way they present their victim side." An ACT Policing spokesperson said all new officers undertake an extensive domestic and family violence training package delivered with the assistance of external non-governmental organisations and academics. "This package educates new police on coercive control and equips police to identify and respond to coercive control in domestic and family violence situations," they said. Police are preparing to launch a new domestic and family violence investigations unit . "New investigators, amongst other things, will also receive training on trauma-informed policing methodologies," they said. "ACT Policing expects to take this opportunity to further enhance the training it provides all police on misidentification." 'Low risk' But Olivia also believes a lack of information about her experience and the nuances around coercive control affected the community-based jail sentence her perpetrator received. "The court deemed him low risk of reoffending," she says, also noting the magistrate's focus on the man's lack of criminal history. "I was horrified by that. On what planet could someone possibly make that comment?" DVCS chief executive officer Sue Webeck. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong Earlier this year, Domestic Violence Crisis Service chief executive Sue Webeck said she hoped the territory was listening to those harmed by the justice system. "There is a really big disconnect at the moment between what we as a society hope happens to keep people in our community safe versus what the courts and policing do and respond to," she told this masthead. "You cannot change an institutional culture from within the institution. "You need to bring outside frontline expertise into the conversation." Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Domestic Violence Crisis Service 6280 0900; Lifeline 13 11 14; MensLine 1300 789 978; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Tim Piccione Court reporter Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au. Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au. More from Court and Crime 'Just a piece of paper': Domestic violence orders don't make Claire and Olivia safe 54m ago Young people being targeted by sexual harassment predators Yes, a small number die from vaccines. We can't let it play into anti-vax hands Man caught on CCTV allegedly robbing Manuka Coles during minute of silence Parents' joy as mementoes of dead son are returned after grave theft Racism sadly reminiscent of my experience finally called out
Justera Health Revises Vesting Schedule of RSU GrantA late-game rally derailed by a missed field goal and Cowboys stun Commanders 34-26Cristian Nápoles, the “new Cuban athlete”: sports, music and entrepreneurshipSEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks took a bumpy path to sole possession of first place in the NFC West. Sunday's 26-21 win over the Jets featured several special teams miscues, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by New York. On the flip side, the Seahawks got their second pick-6 in as many weeks and just enough production by Geno Smith and the offense. The Seahawks' uneven performance was characteristic of a season in which they started 3-0, then lost five of six before winning another three in a row to take command of their underachieving division. Seattle (7-5) leads Arizona by one game, with a matchup against the Cardinals looming next weekend. Zach Charbonnet gave Seattle its first lead of the day on an 8-yard touchdown run with 5:37 to go, and the Seahawks' defense capped another strong outing with a game-sealing stop on fourth down. After a sack by Leonard Williams gave the Jets a fourth-and-15 at the 34-yard line, Aaron Rodgers threw a desperation pass to Garrett Wilson that fell incomplete, giving Seattle the ball with 33 seconds left. Williams is on a tear. After losing out on NFC defensive player of the week honors last week to teammate Coby Bryant despite 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits, “Big Cat” had an even better game. Williams finished with two sacks, three tackles for loss, a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown that was the longest pick-6 in NFL history by a defensive lineman, and a blocked extra point. The touchdown was the first of Williams’ career. He became the first player since 1982 with multiple sacks, an interception return for a touchdown and a blocked kick in a game. Maybe this week the league will agree he was the NFC's best defender. The special teams could not have been much worse in the first half. The Seahawks fumbled three kickoffs, losing two, and allowed Kene Nwangwu's 99-yard kickoff return for a TD. Dee Williams fumbled on a kickoff in the first quarter to give New York the ball at the 27-yard line, and four plays later, Rodgers hit Isaiah Davis for a touchdown to give the Jets a 14-0 lead. Laviska Shenault Jr. muffed two kicks and fumbled at the Seattle 38-yard line in the second quarter. Seattle also had an extra point blocked. Smith led his third game-winning drive of the season and his 11th since he became Seattle’s starting quarterback in 2022. Facing the team that drafted him in 2013, Smith went 20 of 31 for 206 yards and a touchdown. For the first time in five weeks, he was not intercepted. The Seahawks trailed by 14 points on two occasions, but Smith brought Seattle back while avoiding the untimely picks that dogged him recently. He threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Barner in the second quarter, and led the Seahawks on a go-ahead nine-play, 71-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter. Coach Mike Macdonald and his staff have to address the problem with their kick returners, Shenault and Dee Williams. Two lost fumbles and several muffs could have easily cost Seattle the game. WR DK Metcalf left the game briefly with a knee issue but returned. ... P Michael Dickson was unavailable in the fourth quarter because of back spasms. 38 — The Seahawks decided to go for it on fourth-and-6 at their own 33-yard line with 9:34 left in the game. A primary reason was that Dickson was unavailable to punt because of back spasms. The Jets were flagged for having 12 men on the field after sending a punt returner out, which gave Seattle fourth-and-1 at the 38. The Seahawks got a first down after Jets cornerback Quantez Stiggers was flagged for pass interference on Metcalf, and eight players later, Charbonnet scored to put Seattle ahead. Without going for it on fourth down from their own 38, the Seahawks likely would’ve lost. The Seahawks will seek a season sweep of the Cardinals. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Bombshell report finds evidence Gaetz had sex with minor, paid for sex and took drugs while in CongressLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game with 21 seconds left after Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on an 86-yard touchdown, Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing onside kick attempt for a touchdown and the Dallas Cowboys pulled out a 34-26 victory Sunday that extended the Washington Commanders’ skid to three games. Seibert, who missed the previous two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt following a low snap. Thomas then took the kick back 43 yards as the Cowboys (4-7) ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion. Part of that was the play of backup Cooper Rush, who threw for 247 yards and two TDs in his third start in place of starter Dak Prescott. Part was also the defense forcing two turnovers, as Chauncey Golston ripped the ball out of Brian Robinson Jr.’s hands for what was called an interception of Daniels in the second quarter, and Donovan Wilson stripped John Bates midway through the fourth. KaVonte Turpin provided the fireworks with a spinning, 99-yard kickoff return TD seconds after Daniels found Zach Ertz in the end zone and scored on a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three with 3:02 left. In the final three minutes alone, the Commanders (7-5) scored 10 points and allowed Thomas’ TD. All that after the score was 10-9 through three quarters before madness ensued. CHIEFS 30, PANTHERS 27 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns , Spencer Shrader kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired and Kansas City beat Carolina to reach double-digit wins for the 10th straight season. Noah Gray caught two TD passes as the Chiefs (10-1) bounced back from last week’s 30-21 loss at Buffalo and won at the buzzer yet again in a season of narrow escapes. DeAndre Hopkins also had a touchdown catch for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, who scored on their first five possessions. Bryce Young finished 21 of 35 for 262 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers (3-8), who had their two-game winning streak snapped. David Moore had six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown. Trailing 27-19, Young completed a fourth-down pass to Adam Thielen to move the chains, then went deep for the veteran receiver, who drew a pass-interference penalty on Chamarri Conner. That set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Chuba Hubbard. LIONS 24, COLTS 6 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for two scores and David Montgomery added a third touchdown run, leading Detroit to a victory over Indianapolis. Gibbs finished with 21 carries for 90 yards as the Lions (10-1) extended their league-high winning streak to nine straight. Detroit has its been 11-game record since the franchise’s inaugural season in 1934. Jared Goff continued his sensational season, too, completing 26 of 36 throws for 269 yards. The Colts (5-7) lost their second straight home game and for the fourth time in their past five games. Anthony Richardson was 11 of 28 with 172 yards while rushing 10 times for 61 yards. While Indy managed to hold the NFL’s highest-scoring offense largely in check Sunday, it was doomed by its inability to finish drives with touchdowns. BUCCANEERS 30, GIANTS 7 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Baker Mayfield catapulted into the end zone on a spectacular 10-yard scramble for one of Tampa Bay’s four rushing touchdowns, and the Buccaneers beat the Giants and new starting quarterback Tommy DeVito, snapping a four-game losing streak and extending New York’s skid to six. The Giants’ decisions this week to bench and then release quarterback Daniel Jones did nothing to help the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense. DeVito threw for 189 yards, mostly in the second half with New York well on its way to its sixth straight loss at home, where it is winless. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers dominated in every phase in a near-perfect perfect performance that featured TD runs of 1 yard by Sean Tucker, 6 yards by Bucky Irving and 1 yard by Rachaad White. After recent losses to the Ravens, 49ers and Chiefs, Tampa Bay (5-6) moved within one game of idle Atlanta in the NFC South. Tampa Bay scored on five of its on first six possessions to open a 30-0 lead, and none was more exciting than Mayfield’s TD run with 12 seconds left in the first half. On a second-and-goal from the 10, he avoided pressure and went for the end zone. He was hit by Cor’Dale Flott low and Dru Phillips high around the 2-yard line, and he was airborne when he crossed the goal line. The ball came loose when he hit the turf but he jumped up and flexed — seemingly mocking DeVito’s go-to celebration — as the Bucs took a 23-0 lead. DOLPHINS 34, PATRIOTS 15 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns, including two scores to running back De’Von Achane, and Miami routed New England. The Dolphins (5-6) have a thin margin for error the rest of the season but have kept themselves afloat with a three-game winning streak. With their win at New England (3-9) in Week 5, the Dolphins have swept their division rivals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1999-2000. Tagovailoa, who moved to 7-0 in his career against New England, entered the game with a league-high 73.4% completion rate and went 29 for 40. Backup Skylar Thompson replaced Tagovailoa with about 11 minutes left in what was already a blowout, but a bad handoff on his first play resulted in a fumble that was recovered by cornerback Christian Gonzalez and returned 63 yards for a touchdown. It cut New England’s deficit to 31-15, and Tagovailoa returned the next drive. TITANS 32, TEXANS 27 HOUSTON (AP) — Will Levis threw for 278 yards and his 70-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo put Tennessee on top in the fourth quarter and the Titans held on for a win over the Texans. Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled for the touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 91⁄2 minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield. The Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field. Titans coach Brian Callahan held both hands in the air and smiled after watching the miss that allowed his team to win on a day it had three turnovers. The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked C.J. Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid. VIKINGS 30, BEARS 27, OT CHICAGO (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 90 of his 330 yards in overtime to set up Parker Romo’s game-ending 29-yard field goal , and Minnesota outlasted Chicago after giving up 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation. Darnold threw two touchdown passes, Jordan Addison caught eight passes for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown, and T.J. Hockenson had 114 yards receiving for the Vikings (9-2), who remained one game behind Detroit in the rugged NFC North. Caleb Williams threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears (4-7), who lost their fifth straight. Minnesota appeared to have the game in hand, leading 27-16 with 1:56 left after Romo kicked a 26-yard field goal. But the Bears weren’t finished. Deandre Carter made up for a muffed punt that led to a touchdown in the third quarter with a 55-yard kickoff return to the 40. Williams took it from there, capping an eight-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen. A 2-point conversion pass to DJ Moore made it 27-24 with 22 seconds remaining. The Bears recovered the onside kick and Williams hit Moore over the middle for a 27-yard gain to the 30 before spiking the ball. Cairo Santos made a 48-yard field goal as time expired.