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Angela Merkel recounts being the first and only in new memoirThe latest development came hours after thousands of his supporters, defying government warnings, broke through a barrier of shipping containers blocking off Islamabad and entered a high-security zone, where they clashed with security forces, facing tear gas shelling, mass detentions and gunfire. Tension has been high in Islamabad since Sunday when supporters of the former PM began a “long march” from the restive north-west to demand his release. Khan has been in a prison for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases that his party says are politically motivated. Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, led the protest, but she fled as police pushed back against demonstrators. Hundreds of Khan’s supporters are being arrested in the ongoing night-time operation. Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters that the Red Zone, which houses government buildings and embassies, and the surrounding areas have been cleared. Leaders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, have also fled the protest site. Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan’s army took control of D-Chowk, a large square in the Red Zone, where visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is staying. Since Monday, Mr Naqvi had threatened that security forces would use live fire if protesters fired weapons at them. “We have now authorised the police to respond as necessary,” Mr Naqvi said Tuesday while visiting the square. Before the operation began, protester Shahzor Ali said people had taken to the streets because Khan had called for them. “We will stay here until Khan joins us. He will decide what to do next,” Mr Ali said. Protester Fareeda Bibi, who is not related to Khan’s wife, said people have suffered greatly for the last two years. “We have really suffered for the last two years, whether it is economically, politically or socially. We have been ruined. I have not seen such a Pakistan in my life,” she said. Authorities have struggled to contain the protest-related violence. Six people, including four members of the security services, were killed when a vehicle rammed them on a street overnight into Tuesday. A police officer died in a separate incident. Dozens of Khan supporters beat a videographer covering the protest for the Associated Press and took his camera. He sustained head injuries and was treated in hospital. By Tuesday afternoon, fresh waves of protesters made their way unopposed to their final destination in the Red Zone. Mr Naqvi said Khan’s party had rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city. Information minister Atta Tarar warned there would be a severe government reaction to the violence. The government says only the courts can order Khan’s release. He was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament. In a bid to foil the unrest, police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services in some parts of the country. Messaging platforms were also experiencing severe disruption in the capital. Khan’s party relies heavily on social media and uses messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. The X platform, which is banned in Pakistan, is no longer accessible, even with a VPN. Last Thursday, a court prohibited rallies in the capital and Mr Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible because of shipping containers blocking the roads. All education institutions remain closed.But alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”
Following on with some more crime news, a 23-year-old man has been arrested after threatening a driver with a knife, stealing their car and then leading police on a high-speed chase through multiple suburbs. Armadale detectives have charged the man from Harrisdale, who is due to appear in court today, with armed robbery, failing to stop, reckless driving, no authority to drive, giving false details to police and possessing cannabis. The man was riding his bike when he allegedly approached a man driving a Nissan Pulsar sedan on Campbell Road in Armadale near the intersection of Masuli Way. He was allegedly armed with a knife and threatened the driver, who exited the vehicle before the accused drove away with the victim’s car. About 6pm, police sighted the stolen vehicle and immediately activated the emergency lights and siren on an unmarked Police vehicle and tried to block the path of the car. The accused allegedly drove the car over a verge and around some low fencing and onto Harbour Road, then failed to stop, and drove in a reckless manner through the suburbs of Armadale, Haynes, Camillo and Champion Lakes before losing control of the vehicle and hitting a tree on Railway Avenue in Kelmscott. He was taken into custody. A woman living near the Great Southern town of Albany has been arrested by police over an alleged fraudulent plan to claim close to $2.3 million from her insurance company. The 50-year-old owned and worked in a bakery in Spencer Park, which burned down in October. Police and firefighters were called to the scene and extinguished the flames, but it was too late to save the building. A staff member was taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. There was significant structural and roofing damage to the premises, as well as extensive smoke damage. The damage cost was estimated at $955,000. The woman then lodged an insurance claim. Her policy stated she was entitled to $500,000 for contents insurance, and a further $2.2 million in business interruption compensation. Police have alleged she deliberately set the fire to claim this money. She has been charged with criminal damage by fire and attempting to gain benefits by fraud, and is due to appear before the Albany Magistrates Court on December 12. To some health news first and WA has recorded hundreds of cases of whopping cough in October, the largest number recorded since 2015. There were 220 reported cases that month, predominantly among school aged children. Those figures come after record low levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The community has been urged to check they are up-to-date with vaccines. Credit: Louise Kennerley Director of communicable diseases Dr Paul Armstrong said vaccination was the best way for people of all ages to protect themselves and others against whooping cough. “If you are pregnant, it’s important to get vaccinated to help protect your baby as infants are at greatest risk of severe illness from whooping cough,” he said. “Antibodies produced from vaccination during pregnancy are transferred to your unborn baby and help protect infants against whooping cough until they can receive their own vaccinations starting at six to eight weeks old.” Armstrong said it was also important for parents and carers to get children and adolescents vaccinated on time. “Although we are seeing an increase in whooping cough across all age groups, cases are highest in school-aged children – older children and adults are often the source of infection for infants,” he said. Whooping cough causes a respiratory illness which normally starts with common cold-like symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose, tiredness, mild fever and an occasional cough. People with whooping cough can spread the infection in the first three weeks of showing symptoms. Here’s what’s making headlines today: Protesters against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol call for his impeachment. Credit: Bloomberg A cool 24 degrees today, with a clearing shower. Good morning, readers and welcome to our live blog for Wednesday, December 4. Today, the state’s high-achieving schools in the 2024 NAPLAN testing can be revealed. The students at those schools showed above-average literacy and numeracy results when compared to others with a similar background. Read more from education reporter Holly Thompson here. Charlie Jaques (left), Chianna Taylor, Sharnicqua Mills, Lisa Ledger, and Eric Yang from Baynton West Primary School. Residents living on a quiet cul-de-sac in Ascot have raised concerns over a proposal by Perth Racing to build a three-storey complex for 400 horses just 10 metres from their homes. Bruce Hunt says he bought his home 24 years ago for the tranquillity. That peace could soon be shattered. In some good news for those looking to buy in Perth, the median time a home takes to sell has finally increased – up to 13 days from the nine-day low recorded for most of the year. REIWA chief executive Cath Hart said this was because there were (finally!) more new listings on the market. And, some humour for your mid-week slump, contributor Brendan Foster has written an opinion piece about the summer holidays. While public schools still have a week to go, Foster writes the school he sends his child to will finish for the year on Thursday. “I adore my son. But eight weeks of trying to keep my newly minted teenager cheerful and engaged while my partner and I hold down full-time jobs is going to take more planning than the Battle of Stalingrad,” he writes. How many of you agree? Stick with us as more news breaks. We’ll also let you know when we hear more about WA grandmother Donna Nelson, who is being sentenced in Japan today.None
FACT FOCUS: Vermont ruling does not say schools can vaccinate children without parental consent
A coalition of housing advocates and renters launched on Monday “Tenants Not Tourists,” a campaign to challenge New York City Council’s recent introduction of a bill that critics say threatens to exacerbate the city’s housing crisis. During a heated rally outside of City Hall on Dec. 9, t he coalition of representatives from various housing organizations voiced strong opposition to the measure, urging the City Council to reject it and protect the city’s scarce housing supply. Intro. 1107 , introduced last month, looks to amend current codes surrounding short-term rentals in New York. The bill would permit a permanent occupant with registration under the short-term rental law to host a short-term rental for a maximum of four guests along with their children. However, members of the coalition view it as a potential catalyst for removing tens of thousands of rental units from the market. Advocates argue that the bill would enable private equity firms to dominate the rental market, fueling rent increases and further destabilizing the city’s housing landscape. “The City Council can’t claim to be fighting for more housing and against deed theft while carving out loopholes that incentivize private equity vultures and weaken enforcement against bad actors,” said Whitney Hu, director of civic engagement and research for Churches United for Fair Housing. “We know New Yorkers are struggling to find affordable, stable housing in the middle of a crisis that demands immediate action — not giveaways to Airbnb and other corporate interests draining our housing supply.” The rally coincided with the three-year anniversary of Local Law 18, known as the Short-Term Rental Registration Law, which was designed to regulate the short-term rental market by requiring hosts to register with the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE). This law aimed to bolster enforcement against illegal short-term rentals and protect the availability of affordable housing in the city. OSE revealed data indicating that at least 55% of Airbnb’s revenue in New York City stems from illegal short-term rentals, a problem exacerbated by the lack of effective enforcement prior to the law’s introduction. Despite Airbnb’s claims to the contrary, advocates maintained that Local Law 18 was a critical step toward enhancing accountability among landlords and homeowners engaging in illegal short-term rental practices. “Amid the ongoing housing crisis, it is nonsensical to convert residential homes into short-term rentals for tourists, instead of using this housing stock to help New Yorkers secure permanent housing,” said Robert Desir, staff attorney in the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society. “Intro 1107 directly contradicts the goals of Local Law 18 of 2022, which sought to expand our housing stock’s availability to low- and middle-income New Yorkers who are increasingly being priced out, and those seeking to move from shelter into permanent housing.” According to the coalition, there has been a reported decline in listings on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb since Local Law 18 was implemented. ‘Making things work’ Local homeowners who supported Intro 1107, however, had a lot to say during the rally outside of City Hall — arguing that the bill represents economic opportunity for more New Yorkers rather than hurting renters. Shortly after the event started, they showed up with signs like “home sharing + home affordability” and “home sharing helps me support my family.” Homeowners in favor of Intro 1107 disrupted the rally shortly after it started. Photo by Jada Camille During conversations with amNewYork Metro, many pro-Intro. 1107 residents asserted the need for the law which would allow for short-term rentals for larger groups. “I have a legal two-family home that I want to rent in the short term. I want to be able to use my home to meet my financial needs. I want to be able to support my family,” Jeanne Raleigh, a homeowner in support of Intro 1107, told amNewYork Metro at the rally. Raleigh, who previously rented part of her home out for short-term rentals, said the rentals were like a stream of income for her family. Alex, another homeowner who chose not to share her last name, said that her previous short-term leases made the most sense for her and her family. Some residents said home sharing helps them support their families. Photo by Jada Camille Opponents of Intro 1107 are particularly alarmed by its provisions, which would exempt owners of one- and two-family homes from enforcement and remove the requirement for short-term rental hosts to be present during guest stays. This, they argue, sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to a significant increase in residential properties being used solely as short-term rentals, thereby diminishing the available housing stock for New Yorkers in need. Alex, who has owned her home in the East Village for 35 years, rejects these claims. “I’m not a rich person, so home-sharing has allowed me to continue living in my house,” she said. “If I’m just renting my place out for the week, it doesn’t suddenly go on the market. It’s still my home. I still own it. I’m just making things work.” Airbnb representatives said that while Local Law 18 looked to protect affordable housing, the housing market has remained unaffected by its provisions. “This bill aims to fix an overly restrictive short-term rental law that, in the last year, has failed to decrease rents in NYC and only increased hotel rates exorbitantly for travelers,” Nathan Rotman, director of Policy for Airbnb, said in a statement. “The bill [Intro 1107] makes common sense and marginal updates to the existing law [Local Law 18] by allowing New Yorkers to share their primary homes and yet, the big hotel chains are using scare tactics to exploit one of the biggest social challenges of our time to boost their profits with sky high nightly rates – it’s time to fix a broken law that hasn’t helped housing but has padded hotel industry pockets at everyone else’s expense.” The “Tenants Not Tourists” coalition includes a diverse range of organizations focused on housing rights, including Citizen Action of NY, the Coalition Against Illegal Hotels, Make the Road New York, the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council and others. Intro. 1107 would make amends Local Law 18 by: raising rentals maximums from two people to four allowing listing to go unhosted at the time of a guest stay; hosts must currently be presents throughout the entire rental allowing the host to restrict guest from areas i.e.closets, officesTourmaline Oil Corp. stock rises Monday, outperforms marketDeSantis appointee says he won't help his elected replacement take office
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The aching Steelers still control their destiny in the AFC North. Their grasp, however, is slipping PITTSBURGH (AP) — Technically, the standings still show the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North. It just doesn't exactly feel that way at the moment. Will Graves, The Associated Press Dec 22, 2024 10:52 AM Dec 22, 2024 11:05 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks to reporters following an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Baltimore. The Ravens won 34-17. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) PITTSBURGH (AP) — Technically, the standings still show the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North. It just doesn't exactly feel that way at the moment. While the Steelers still have everything in front of them even after a 34-17 loss in Baltimore on Saturday in which a pair of Russell Wilson turnovers and a battered defense starting to show signs of wear allowed the Ravens to pull away, the grasp they had on the division two weeks ago is now far more tenuous. There were no excuses offered afterward. Yet there's also no time to pout either. Not with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs visiting Acrisure Stadium on Christmas Day. “The one thing I’m not going to do is keep my head down," Wilson said shortly after a fourth-quarter pick-6 allowed Baltimore to pull away. "I know for us, we got so much great confidence in who we are and what we can do and how we’re going to respond.” If Pittsburgh wants the home playoff game that capturing a division title for the first time since 2020 would provide, it doesn't really have a choice. To do it, the Steelers will likely have to beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champions on three days' rest and then the Bengals in the regular-season finale, not exactly ideal opponents for an injury-marred defense that has given up more than 400 yards in consecutive weeks for the first time since the first three games of the 2019 season. Beating Philadelphia and Baltimore on the road even in the best of times is a tough ask. The Steelers came up empty twice in six days, and while Wilson's turnovers didn’t help, Pittsburgh’s inability to match up with either team in the trenches could be a far bigger problem going forward if it can't find a way to regain the physicality it showed earlier this season. True, the Ravens and Eagles have the two best running games in the league led by backs who are putting together Hall of Fame resumes. Still, every team the Steelers figure to face in the postseason will almost certainly try to follow the blueprint Philadelphia and Baltimore used so effectively. Pittsburgh's truncated schedule — the visit by the Chiefs will be its third game in 11 days — means the tackling issues that have popped up of late will have to be addressed more in theory than in practice. It's a less-than-ideal situation. Yet despite the step or two back recently, the Steelers believe that everything they want to do this season is still in front of them. That's certainly true. Wilson — who knows a thing or two about winning this time of year — remains upbeat. “We can’t let a tough game like this take us into a negative state of mind because there’s a lot more to play for and a lot more we’re searching for, and we can still win the (AFC) North,” he said. "There’s still a lot of opportunity there, too, as well. And so we just got to buckle down and get back to work.” What's working Being disruptive in the red zone. Minkah Fitzpatrick's fourth-quarter pick of Lamar Jackson — his first in 26 games — was the fifth takeaway by the Steelers inside their 20 this season, tied for second most in the NFL. What needs help Just about everything else in the red zone. The Steelers allowed Baltimore to score touchdowns on its first three drives that reached the Pittsburgh 20. The other two ended with Fitzpatrick's interception and a chip-shot field goal by Justin Tucker in the final minutes. Two short touchdown throws from Jackson to tight ends Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews bothered Steelers coach Mike Tomlin the most. “It is just too late in the year to have guys running open like that, to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. “So we’ve got some work to do this week and try to shore some of that up.” Stock up Calvin Austin III is the only wide receiver who seems capable of being a difference-maker with George Pickens out of the lineup. The 5-foot-9 Austin has nine receptions for 130 yards over the past two games, and while Wilson's fourth down heave to Austin at the goal line in the third quarter fell incomplete, it also symbolized the faith Wilson has in a highly motivated player who thrives on being underestimated. Stock down Complementary football. The Steelers surged to the top of the division by having a team that thrived in all three phases. That hasn't happened of late. The Ravens turned Wilson's fumble into a 96-yard touchdown drive. Fitzpatrick's interception appeared to give the Steelers momentum only to have Wilson give it right back with a poor throw that Marlon Humphrey turned into the clinching score. Injuries Pickens could return from the hamstring injury that has forced him to miss the past three games. Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin), cornerback Donte Jackson (back) could also play after sitting out against Baltimore. The news isn’t as positive for starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (hip), both of whom left against the Ravens and did not return. Key number 39 — field goals this season by Chris Boswell, five short of the NFL record set by David Akers with San Francisco in 2011. Next steps Try to heal up quickly and beat Mahomes for the first time. The Kansas City star is 3-0 against the Steelers with 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Will Graves, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Jalen Hurts ruled out of the Eagles' game at the Commanders with a concussion Dec 22, 2024 11:10 AM Josh Jacobs re-emerging as one of the NFL's elite RBs again in his first season with Packers Dec 22, 2024 10:26 AM Chiefs offense hitting its stride with return of wide receiver Marquise Brown from injury Dec 22, 2024 9:48 AMNone