Alabama left out of playoff as committee rewards SMU's wins over Crimson Tide's strong scheduleLiquid Logics Announces Integration with Sekady
US President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be "held accountable" but called the nation's political upheaval a "historic opportunity" for Syrians to rebuild their country. In the first full US reaction to Assad's overthrow by an Islamist-led coalition of rebel factions, Biden also warned that Washington will "remain vigilant" against the emergence of terrorist groups, announcing that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organization. "The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria." Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Biden said that "Assad should be held accountable." Biden -- set to step down in January and make way for Republican Donald Trump's return to power -- said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding. "We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward independent, sovereign" Syria "with a new constitution," he said. However, Biden cautioned that hardline Islamist groups within the victorious rebel alliance will be under scrutiny. "Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human right abuses," Biden said. The United States had "taken note" of recent statements by rebels suggesting they had since moderated, he said, but cautioned: "We will assess not just their words, but their actions." Biden said Washington is "clear eyed" that the Islamic State extremist group, often known as ISIS, "will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish" itself in Syria. "We will not let that happen," he said, adding that on Sunday alone, US forces had conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria. The US military said the strikes were conducted by warplanes against Islamic State operatives and camps. Strikes were carried out against "over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s," the US Central Command said on social media. Earlier, Biden met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the crisis. Assad's reported departure comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged more than five decades of Assad family rule with a lightning rebel offensive that broke long-frozen frontlines in Syria's civil war. They announced Sunday they had taken the capital Damascus and that Assad had fled, prompting celebrations nationwide and a ransacking of Assad's luxurious home. A Kremlin source told Russian news agencies that the deposed leader was now in Moscow, along with his family. The US military has around 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the international coalition established in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State jihadist group. It has regularly struck targets in the country including those linked to Iranian-backed militias. Tehran was a major backer of Assad's government. Biden also confirmed US authorities believe the American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, still lives. "We believe he's alive," Biden said, but the US has yet "to identify where he is." bur-sms/mlmSinn Fein ‘ignored role of 3,000 deaths in damaging community relations’The mystery surrounding at least one of the unexplained drones causing Americans to look toward the night sky in recent days was solved late Saturday evening, when Boston police arrested two men for allegedly flying their unmanned aerial device too close to Logan Airport. According to police, 42-year-old Robert Duffy of Charlestown and 32-year-old Jeremy Folcik of Bridgewater were arrested Saturday on Long Island, after officials noticed the drone on their monitoring systems. “The incident began earlier that evening, at 4:30 p.m., when a Boston Police Officer specializing in real-time crime surveillance detected an Unmanned Aircraft System operating dangerously close to Logan International Airport. Leveraging advanced UAS monitoring technology, the Officer identified the drone’s location, altitude, flight history, and the operators’ position on Long Island,” the Boston Police Department said in a Sunday statement. After rallying officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Massachusetts State Police, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Federal Communications Commission, and Logan Airport Air Traffic Control, the Boston Police Harbor Patrol Unit was dispatched to the Boston Harbor Islands, where they allegedly found Duffy and Folcik, along with another man on the closed Long Island Health campus. All three attempted to flee on foot, according to police, but the arrested pair were caught and a drone found in their possession. The third man, according to police, is “believed to have fled the island in a small vessel.” Police say that all three were engaging in seriously dangerous behavior. “Operators are prohibited from flying drones over people or vehicles and must be aware of airspace restrictions. Even small drones pose significant risks, including the potential for catastrophic damage to airplanes and helicopters. Near-collisions can cause pilots to veer off course, putting lives and property at risk,” they said. Both Duffy and Folcik will appear in Dorchester District Court on charges of trespassing, police said. This is a developing story and it will be updated.
PIL donates MK7.8 million solar water pump to Malomo Health Centre
For those tempted by a takeaway coffee while out and about, investing in a travel mug can help save a few quid weekly. Ninja has just dropped a new insulated cup - the Sip Perfect Travel Mug - that's ideal for busy caffeine fiends and savvy shoppers have spotted away to snap it up for less than half price, making it a perfect Christmas gift on a budget - whether for yourself or a lucky someone. As you'd expect from the foodie gadget brand, Ninja's Sip Perfect is not your average travel mug; as well as locking shut so it's totally leak-proof it absorbs heat energy, cooling down your beverage to the perfect sipping temperature in mere minutes. The Sip Perfect Travel Mug comes in a trio of sleek colourways with options in black, white and green . It keeps your drink toasty inside without getting hot outside, so you won't scald your hands when rushing around doing daily tasks. Fans of the brand are over the moon with the mug, giving it props for its ability to maintain coffee at an ideal warmth, ensuring its not scalding yet remains heated for hours on end. READ MORE: Shoppers love Elle MacPherson's menopause supplement as it's 'replacing coffee' READ MORE: Anker's Ultra-compact power bank is now 30% off with Amazon trick Ninja's travel mug launched earlier this month with a price tag of £29.99, but clever buyers have spotted a trick to bag it for less than half that price thanks to a money saving site. Shoppers who sign up with TopCashback can get the mug for £12.99 by signing up as a new member, claiming a free £15 signup bonus and buying the travel mug through their website, reports Wales Online . While the mug is a new launch so the total number of reviews for it is relatively small, it has already got an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. One satisfied customer said: "You can tell that this is a high quality travel cup. It is very well made and is very sturdy. Even with a hot drink inside, the outside is still cool to the touch. It has a textured coating so it should not slip out of your hands." Another reviewer noted: "It is heavier than some, but I wouldn't let that put you off, as it is not overly so. You don't need to leave the cap open to cool down to drink if it is scalding hot (it was at a good temperature to drink immediately). The open/close click top kept the coffee hot each time you take a sip and it kept hot throughout. The sip spout does not drip and the drink flowed easily." "I have tested this cup after three hours and it was still hot and it did not leak. I am looking forward to using this when I go on my walks with family and taking the cup to work and knowing that it will not leak is a big plus." A third said: "This is a great little cup, for me anyway as I make a cuppa in the morning and then check my emails and socials, and get lost in them for a while, so my coffee tends to go cold but not with this wee beauty. It has kept my coffee hot for two and a half hours so far. I say so far as I have drank it all now. I will be using this every morning from now on." A fourth reviewer appreciated the mug but cautioned that some might find it heavy and difficult to open, writing: "If you are looking for an insulated mug, then this does the job. It keeps contents hot for a long time and you can sip them whenever you want. Decent size for a mug. Unfortunately, I find it a bit heavy so not for me. Otherwise it would get five stars." One buyer voiced some difficulties with the product, revealing: "It was also difficult to open at first. When I did get it open the 'use and care guide' was inside. One of the 'caution' guides says that if you can't open the lid by hand, do not open and return to Ninja! Only read this after I struggled to open it." Another customer pointed out a drawback in terms of the mug 's size, noting: "Initial thoughts were it's an attractive and stylish travel mug. Drinking from the mug is easy and I liked the locking lid mechanism which felt secure and safe. Size is good for taking on short journeys. I put piping hot coffee into the mug and within five minutes, the liquid had cooled to a drinkable temperature. "Unfortunately as a travel mug for me, it has a problem - it is too big for the cup holders in my Audi. I'm sure not all cup holders are equal, but this is a drawback." For coffee fans the perfect travel mug is somewhat of a Holy Grail and there are plenty of other options vying for consumers' attention this festive season. The Stanley Quencher may be the celeb-drink bottle of choice, but their iconic Aerolight not only comes in at a slightly cheaper price point - it's available in 11 colours from £33 on the Stanley website but on Amazon if you're less fussed about shade you can choose one from £29.99 . Elsewhere, Dualit has a stunning brushed stainless steel option currently £19.99 on Amazon . Amazon also offers an alternative the Thermos Stainless Travel Mug, priced starting at £24.89 . It comes in a selection of eye-catching colours like black, copper, red, and raspberry. Navigate to TopCashback and sign up as a new member. Search for Ninja, click ' Get Cashback Now ' and purchase as normal. You're entitled to £15 cashback when you spend £15 or more on any item including the Ninja Sip Perfect Travel Mug. Cashback will then track and appear in your TopCashback account within seven working days of your purchase.
DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys won’t play in the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Sitting at 7-8 and out of the race in the NFC, the Cowboys have unequivocally been a disappointment, especially after team owner Jerry Jones called the 2024 campaign an “all-in” season earlier in the year as he made it clear that the goal was Super Bowl or bust. Now, however, despite being a bust, Jones was quick to dole out stocking stuffers of praise to his coaching staff after Dallas rattled off four wins in five games that culminated in a 26-24 win over the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. Full of holiday cheer following the victory, Cowboys owner, president, and general manager Jones made his weekly visit on the Shan & RJ show on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan Tuesday to discuss Dallas’ win over a probable playoff-bound opponent and just the second win of the year at AT&T Stadium. The main key in Jones’ eye for improved play despite the team’s playoff chances crumbling has been the coaching staff and their ability to coax improvements out of young players who have taken over for an injury-depleted squad. “Really proud of these young players,” said Jones. “They just are growing mentally and physically by leaps and bounds, makes me think we’ve got an outstanding future ahead of us.” Despite the losses of franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs, several starters on the offensive line, and many others to injury, the Cowboys showed fight, especially in the Week 16 win where they were playing for nothing but pride while their opponent was trying to maintain their playoff destiny. After starting the season 3-7, including a five-game losing streak, the Cowboys have won four of their last five games to draw near to the .500 mark at 7-8. With the potential to completely collapse, Dallas has rallied and that appears to be something Jones attributes to McCarthy and his coaching staff. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the way the coaching staff, led by Mike McCarthy, and the leadership on this team,” Jones said, after McCarthy went from lame duck status in the last year of his contract to on the hot seat all season. Now Jones is potentially laying the foundation for a potential extension for the former Super Bowl-winning coach. Another part of the recent success has been the steady play of backup-turned-starter Rush, who threw for 292 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay and now has nine passing scores to just one interception over his last five games after he took over for the injured Prescott mid-season. Cooper “Gold” Rush heating up early. pic.twitter.com/0DZy8DnV60 To that end, Jones was asked if he has had any second thoughts about the protracted contract talks that ended with a record-breaking extension for Prescott now that Rush is producing results at the helm. "No. No. Not at all," Jones assured, as Prescott will almost certainly be back under center for the Cowboys next season. More curious, perhaps, is the fact that third-stringer Trey Lance hasn’t gotten more of a look, especially with Dallas out of contention. “The very best chance that we have on the next play or series, that’s what I want every play to be,” Jones responded when asked specifically about giving Lance an opportunity in the final two weeks. “So the people who go out there are the ones that I want who give us the best chance.” With Christmas upon us, Jones was also asked about the league’s unusual schedule this season which will see four AFC squads play three games in eleven days as part of the league’s mandate to have games on Christmas Day, which falls on an unwieldy Wednesday this year. “Christmas Day is Christmas Day and it doesn’t wait around for what day it’s on,” Jones, ever a major influence on NFL broadcasting decisions chimed in. “We want to be there on Christmas Day. I would think the future is whatever day it’s on, we’re going to be there on Christmas.” The Cowboys won’t be among the teams playing on Christmas Day, as they next suit up against the archrival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at noon from Lincoln Financial Field where they will once again try to play the role of spoiler against a playoff-bound team in Week 17. Do you think the Cowboys should bring back their coaching staff for 2025? Share your thoughts with us on X (formerly Twitter) @WFAASports .Mysterious Removal of Syrian Flag at Moscow Embassy
France has a new government, again. Politics and crushing debt complicate next steps
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Amanda Hernández | (TNS) Stateline.org CHICAGO — Shoplifting rates in the three largest U.S. cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a report last month from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice. Related Articles National News | Nicotine pouches are selling fast — and falling into minors’ hands National News | NORAD’s Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost. Now it attracts millions of kids National News | Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights National News | Prosecutors withdraw appeal of dismissed case against Alec Baldwin in fatal movie set shooting National News | Bill Clinton is hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson says The sharp rise in retail theft in recent years has made shoplifting a hot-button issue, especially for politicians looking to address public safety concerns in their communities. Since 2020, when viral videos of smash-and-grab robberies flooded social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have expressed fears that crime is out of control. Polls show that perceptions have improved recently, but a majority of Americans still say crime is worse than in previous years. “There is this sense of brazenness that people have — they can just walk in and steal stuff. ... That hurts the consumer, and it hurts the company,” said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, in an interview. “That’s just the world we live in,” he said. “We need to get people to realize that you have to obey the law.” At least eight states — Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New York and Vermont — passed a total of 14 bills in 2024 aimed at tackling retail theft, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures range from redefining retail crimes and adjusting penalties to allowing cross-county aggregation of theft charges and protecting retail workers. Major retailers have responded to rising theft since 2020 by locking up merchandise, upgrading security cameras, hiring private security firms and even closing stores. Still, the report indicates that shoplifting remains a stubborn problem. In Chicago, the rate of reported shoplifting incidents remained below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2023 — but surged by 46% from January to October 2024 compared with the same period a year ago. Shoplifting in Los Angeles was 87% higher in 2023 than in 2019. Police reports of shoplifting from January to October 2024 were lower than in 2023. Los Angeles adopted a new crime reporting system in March 2024, which has likely led to an undercount, according to the report. In New York, shoplifting rose 48% from 2021 to 2022, then dipped slightly last year. Still, the shoplifting rate was 55% higher in 2023 than in 2019. This year, the shoplifting rate increased by 3% from January to September compared with the same period last year. While shoplifting rates tend to rise in November and December, which coincides with in-person holiday shopping, data from the Council on Criminal Justice’s sample of 23 U.S. cities shows higher rates in the first half of 2024 compared with 2023. Researchers found it surprising that rates went up despite retailers doing more to fight shoplifting. Experts say the spike might reflect improved reporting efforts rather than a spike in theft. “As retailers have been paying more attention to shoplifting, we would not expect the numbers to increase,” said Ernesto Lopez, the report’s author and a senior research specialist with the council. “It makes it a challenge to understand the trends of shoplifting.” Impact on retailers, communities In downtown Chicago on a recent early afternoon, potential shoppers shuffled through the streets and nearby malls, browsing for gifts ahead of the holidays. Edward Johnson, a guard at The Shops at North Bridge, said that malls have become quieter in the dozen or so years he has worked in mall security, with the rise of online retailers. As for shoplifters, Johnson said there isn’t a single type of person to look out for — they can come from any background. “I think good-hearted people see something they can’t afford and figure nothing is lost if they take something from the store,” Johnson said as he patrolled the mall, keeping an eye out for lost or suspicious items. Between 2018 and 2023, most shoplifting in Chicago was reported in the downtown area, as well as in the Old Town, River North and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, according to a separate analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice. Newly sworn-in Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke this month lowered the threshold for charging retail theft as a felony in the county, which includes Chicago, from $1,000 to $300, aligning it with state law. “It sends a signal that she’s taking it seriously,” Rob Karr, the president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told Stateline. Nationally, retailers are worried about organized theft. The National Retail Federation’s latest report attributed 36% of the $112.1 billion in lost merchandise in 2022 to “external theft,” which includes organized retail crime. Organized retail crime typically involves coordinated efforts by groups to steal items with the intent to resell them for a profit. Commonly targeted goods include high-demand items such as baby formula, laundry detergent and electronics. The same report found that retailers’ fear of violence associated with theft also is on the rise, with more retailers taking a “hands-off approach.” More than 41% of respondents to the organization’s 2023 survey, up from 38% in 2022, reported that no employee is authorized to try and stop a shoplifter. (The federation’s reporting has come under criticism. It retracted a claim last year that attributed nearly half of lost merchandise in 2021 to organized retail crime; such theft accounted for only about 5%. The group announced this fall it will no longer publish its reports on lost merchandise.) Increased penalties Policy experts say shoplifting and organized retail theft can significantly harm critical industries, drive up costs for consumers and reduce sales tax revenue for states. Those worries have driven recent state-level action to boost penalties for shoplifting. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of 10 bills into law in August aimed at addressing retail theft. These measures make repeated theft convictions a felony, allow aggregation of crimes across multiple counties to be charged as a single felony, and permit police to arrest suspects for retail theft even if the crime wasn’t witnessed directly by an officer. In September, Newsom signed an additional bill that imposes steeper felony penalties for large-scale theft offenses. California voters also overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes. Under the new law, people who are convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value. “With these changes in the law, really it comes down to making sure that law enforcement is showing up to our stores in a timely manner, and that the prosecutors and the [district attorneys] are prosecuting,” Rachel Michelin, the president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, told Stateline. “That’s the only way we’re going to deter retail theft in our communities.” In New Jersey, a bipartisan bill making its way through the legislature would increase penalties for leading a shoplifting ring and allow extended sentences for repeat offenders. “This bill is going after a formally organized band of criminals that deliver such destruction to a critical business in our community. We have to act. We have to create a deterrence,” Democratic Assemblymember Joseph Danielsen, one of the bill’s prime sponsors, said in an interview with Stateline. The legislation would allow extended sentences for people convicted of shoplifting three times within 10 years or within 10 years of their release from prison, and would increase penalties to 10 to 20 years in prison for leading a retail crime ring. The bill also would allow law enforcement to aggregate the value of stolen goods over the course of a year to charge serial shoplifters with more serious offenses. Additionally, the bill would increase penalties for assaults committed against retail workers, and would require retailers to train employees on detecting gift card scams. Maryland legislators considered a similar bill during this year’s legislative session that would have defined organized retail theft and made it a felony. The bill didn’t make it out of committee, but Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, said the group plans to propose a bill during next year’s legislative session that would target gift card fraud. Retail theft data Better, more thorough reporting from retailers is essential to truly understanding shoplifting trends and its full impact, in part because some retail-related crimes, such as gift card fraud, are frequently underreported, according to Lopez, of the Council on Criminal Justice. Measuring crime across jurisdictions is notoriously difficult , and the council does not track organized retail theft specifically because law enforcement typically doesn’t identify it as such at the time of arrest — if an arrest even occurs — requiring further investigation, Lopez said. The council’s latest report found conflicting trends in the FBI’s national crime reporting systems. The FBI’s older system, the Summary Reporting System, known as SRS, suggests that reported shoplifting hadn’t gone up through 2023, remaining on par with 2019 levels. In contrast, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, shows a 93% increase in shoplifting over the same period. The discrepancy may stem from the type of law enforcement agencies that have adopted the latter system, Lopez said. Some of those communities may have higher levels of shoplifting or other types of property crime, which could be what is driving the spike, Lopez said. Despite the discrepancies and varying levels of shoplifting across the country, Lopez said, it’s important for retailers to report these incidents, as doing so could help allocate law enforcement resources more effectively. “All law enforcement agencies have limited resources, and having the most accurate information allows for not just better policy, but also better implementation — better use of strategic resources,” Lopez said. Stateline staff writer Robbie Sequeira contributed to this report. ©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Five million euros for HydroPulse Stuttgart – hydrogen filling stations, fuel cell transporters and high-temperature fuel cells planned – Stadtwerke Stuttgart (SWS) is delighted to have received a further five million euros in funding for its innovative hydrogen project Green Hydrogen Hub Stuttgart (GH 2 S). The project is helping to make the energy transition efficient and economical and to make the Stuttgart economic region fit for the future. The Committee for Business, Infrastructure and Administration of the Stuttgart Region Association provided the funding for the HydroPulse Stuttgart sub-project at its most recent meeting. It is to be used to build a hydrogen filling station and to develop and supply hydrogen to another filling station in the Stuttgart Neckar Valley. Both filling stations will be connected to the planned H2 GeNeSiS pipeline. In addition, the procurement of three fuel cell transporters and the installation of a high-temperature fuel cell on the new EnergyCampus in Stuttgart-Wangen are planned. The Green Hydrogen Hub Stuttgart, the production facility for green hydrogen in the Stuttgart port, is already in the starting blocks. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project is scheduled for spring 2025. Three electrolyzers will go into operation there from the end of 2026 and will produce up to 1,000 tons of high-purity hydrogen from green electricity every year. Thanks to the funding commitment, the HydroPulse Stuttgart sub-project can now also be implemented at the same time. This is because the production plant is linked to a logistics concept for supplying industry, research and development as well as two hydrogen filling stations for heavy goods vehicles and other vehicles. The regionally produced hydrogen will be transported to the H2 filling stations via the planned H2 GeNeSiS pipeline, or alternatively via trailer to other partners and customers. SWS project manager , says : “It is therefore an ideal addition to our overall Green Hydrogen Hub project.” The overall project consists of three components: the Green Hydrogen Hub Stuttgart (GH 2 S), the H2 GeNeSiS pipeline and HydroPulse Stuttgart. The total volume of the HydroPulse Stuttgart sub-project, which is scheduled to be completed in December 2026, amounts to around eleven million euros. A total of around 80 percent of the funding will go towards the construction, development and supply of the hydrogen filling stations and their connection to the pipeline. The remaining portion is available, among other things, for the procurement of three vehicles with fuel cell drives and the installation of the oxide ceramic fuel cell (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, or SOFC for short) on the EnergyCampus of the Stuttgart municipal utilities. the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Five million euros for HydroPulse Stuttgart – hydrogen filling stations, fuel cell transporters and high-temperature fuel cells planned World Energy GH2 – Newfoundland wind-to-hydrogen company eyes data centre as international market lags A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing... DelBene, Schrier Lead Call for Flexibility in Hydrogen Project Development Rules Congresswomen Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) led 12 House Members in calling for the Biden administration to provide... Diesel instead of hydrogen in the Taunus – trains too prone to failure Since its launch, hydrogen technology has caused problems in rail traffic in the Taunus region. Now trains with diesel engines are temporarily being...Sinn Fein ‘ignored role of 3,000 deaths in damaging community relations’
Sinn Fein ‘ignored role of 3,000 deaths in damaging community relations’Sinn Fein ‘ignored role of 3,000 deaths in damaging community relations’
Matildas update: Mary Fowler makes a HUGE return, Clare Polkinghorne says goodbye while Sam Kerr is stuck on the couchAs the world of AI has evolved at a shockingly quick pace, so has the experience of using these tools improved at a commensurate rate.
Live: Attorney-General declines to describe arson attack on synagogue as 'terrorism'The Northern Sea Route (NSR), known in Russian as Sevmorput, is a vital transportation artery spanning the country’s entire Arctic coastline. This icy maritime corridor connects Europe and Asia, playing a critical role in supporting Russia’s vast extraction of natural resources such as oil, gas, and precious metals. Nuclear-powered icebreakers guide cargo ships through the frozen waters, ensuring year-round navigation. Yet, this remarkable feat of engineering and logistics didn’t emerge overnight — it was the result of decades of exploration, resilience, and innovation. Early Exploration: Laying the Foundations Russia’s interest in the Arctic began in earnest during the late 19th century. Until then, Siberia’s harsh environment and lack of infrastructure made large-scale development impossible. However, the construction of the now iconic Trans-Siberian Railway in 1891 signaled a shift. Around this time, Admiral Stepan Makarov, a pioneering naval officer and visionary, championed Arctic exploration. His famous 1897 lecture, “To the North Pole – Full Steam Ahead!” emphasized the strategic importance of Arctic routes. Makarov’s efforts led to the creation of Yermak, the world’s first true Arctic icebreaker. It was designed to smash through thick ice, paving the way for more advanced ships. His leadership laid the groundwork for Russia's Arctic ambitions, though he wouldn’t live to see the full realization of his dreams, as he died during the Russo-Japanese War. Soviet Ambitions: Expansion and Innovation After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Soviet government maintained its commitment to Arctic development. Exploration intensified under the USSR’s industrialization drive in the 1920s and 1930s. One of the leading figures of this era was Otto Schmidt, a member of the Russian Baltic’s ethnic Germany community. He was a renowned scientist, polar explorer, and the director of Glavsevmorput, the government agency tasked with overseeing the Northern Sea Route. Schmidt’s work was monumental. He coordinated research, established polar stations, and supervised construction projects that ensured the functioning of this 11,000-kilometer route. His most daring Arctic mission came in 1932 when he led an experimental expedition aboard the steamer Sibiryakov, aiming to traverse the NSR in a single navigation season. The journey faced severe setbacks, including losing a propeller in the ice. The crew’s ingenuity saved the mission—they crafted makeshift sails from canvas and managed to reach their destination despite overwhelming odds. The Chelyuskin Tragedy and Heroic Rescue Schmidt’s most famous mission involved the ill-fated steamship Chelyuskin in 1933-1934. The ship, reinforced for Arctic navigation but not a true icebreaker, set sail from Murmansk to Vladivostok. Despite early progress, thick ice in the Chukchi Sea trapped the vessel, forcing its crew to survive on drifting ice floes after the ship was crushed. What followed was one of the greatest Arctic rescue missions ever undertaken. Soviet pilots, using rudimentary equipment and navigating through brutal -40°C temperatures, airlifted the 104 stranded crew members to safety. The daring operation captivated the world and cemented the NSR’s place in Soviet lore. Seven pilots involved received the USSR’s highest honor, Hero of the Soviet Union, for their extraordinary bravery. Cold War Era and Strategic Expansion During the Cold War, the Northern Sea Route became a critical military and economic lifeline. Soviet leaders fortified Arctic infrastructure by building ports, airfields, and even entire Arctic cities like Norilsk and Murmansk. These hubs facilitated mineral extraction, scientific research, and military operations. The USSR’s fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers, such as Lenin, launched in 1959, revolutionized Arctic navigation. These vessels could clear paths through ice that conventional ships couldn’t manage, ensuring year-round Arctic transport. By the late 20th century, the NSR evolved into the most advanced Arctic transportation system in the world. The Modern Era: Economic Potential and Geopolitical Competition Following the Soviet collapse in 1991, the Northern Sea Route faced years of decline due to reduced funding and logistical challenges. However, in the early 21st century, the new Russia’s Arctic ambitions reignited as climate change opened new shipping lanes. Melting ice made the NSR navigable for longer periods each year, prompting Moscow to invest heavily in Arctic infrastructure once again. Today, Moscow’s Arctic fleet includes nuclear icebreakers like 50 Let Pobedy and Arktika, ensuring the NSR operates year-round. These vessels escort commercial ships carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil, and minerals to international markets. Arctic ports such as Sabetta on the Yamal Peninsula have become critical hubs in the global energy trade. Russia views the NSR as an essential part of its long-term economic and geopolitical strategy. President Vladimir Putin has called the Arctic a “strategic priority,” underscoring plans to transform the NSR into a competitive global shipping route rivaling the Suez and Panama Canals. Ambitious projects aim to double cargo traffic along the NSR by 2030. Geopolitical and Environmental Challenges Despite its potential, the NSR faces numerous challenges. Geopolitical tensions, especially between Russia and the West, complicate international cooperation. Western sanctions have hindered foreign investment in Arctic energy projects. Meanwhile, China has positioned itself as a key partner in Russia's Arctic development, viewing the NSR as a critical component of its Polar Silk Road strategy. Environmental concerns also loom large. Melting ice has increased ship traffic, raising the risk of oil spills and ecological damage in this fragile environment. Environmental organizations have called for stricter regulations, while Russia argues that its nuclear-powered icebreakers produce fewer emissions than conventional fuel-burning ships. Looking Ahead The Northern Sea Route remains a symbol of Russia’s resilience, technological prowess, and strategic vision. What began as an audacious imperial project has evolved into a modern geopolitical asset with global implications. As the Arctic warms and sea ice retreats, Russia’s Arctic lifeline will only grow more significant—both economically and politically. The NSR’s legacy is built on a history of exploration, survival, and determination. It stands as a testament to what human ingenuity can achieve in one of the planet’s harshest environments—and a reminder that the Arctic remains a stage where historical ambitions and modern realities collide.
Entertainment News | Sanjay Dutt Collaborates with 'Animal' Fame Bhupinder Babbal for Music Video 'Power House'British Columbia business owner Joe Chaput will spend $5,500 a month on security guards during the holiday season and plans on upgrading his store’s video camera system for around $5,000 more. He’s not selling luxury brands or expensive jewels. Chaput sells cheese, and at Christmas, cheese is a hot commodity. He is the co-owner of specialty cheese store les amis du Fromage, with two locations in Vancouver. While cheeselifting is rare in their Kitsilano store, the outlet in East Vancouver is hit in waves, with nothing happening for a month, then three of four people trying to steal their inventory within a week. “Sometimes, you miss it. Sometimes, you catch it. The way shoplifters behave ... they tend to gravitate toward expensive things,” said Chaput. Expensive cheese is on shoplifters’ Christmas list, he said. “They tend to do the classic examples of staying away from customer service and trying to go to a different part of the store so they can be left alone to steal.” Chaput isn’t alone. Police say food-related crimes on are the rise in Canada and as prices climb for items such as cheese and butter, they become lucrative on the black market for organized crime groups, not to mention theft for local resale. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab, said a black market tends to emerge as soon as food prices surge. “Organized crime will steal anything (if) they know they can sell it and so, they probably would have known who their clients are before even stealing anything at all, and that’s how a black market is organized,” said Charlebois. He said he believes there are two categories of people shoplifting — those who do so out of desperation because they can’t afford the food, or organized criminals, profiting from sales on the black market. Mounties in North Vancouver made cheesy headlines when they ran into a man with a cart of stolen cheese in the middle of the night in September. The cheese, valued at $12,800, was from a nearby Whole Foods Store. While the cheese was recovered, it had to be disposed of because it hadn’t been refrigerated. Const. Mansoor Sahak, with the North Vancouver RCMP, said officers believe cheese is targeted because it’s “profitable to resell.” “If they are drug addicts, they will commit further crimes with that or feed their drug habits. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Sahak. Sahak said meat is also a top target for grocery thieves, with store losses sometimes in the thousands. “So, we’re not surprised that this happened,” said Sahak. Police in Ontario have been chasing down slippery shoplifters going after butter. Scott Tracey, a spokesman with Guelph Police Service, said there have been eight or nine butter thefts over the last year, including one theft last December worth $1,000. In October, two men walked into a local grocer and filled their carts with cases of butter valued at $936, and four days later a Guelph grocer lost four cases valued at $958. Tracey said he has looked at online marketplaces and found listings by people selling 20 or 30 pounds of butter at a time. “Clearly, somebody didn’t accidentally buy 30 extra pounds of butter. So, they must have come from somewhere,” said Tracey, “I think at this point it appears to be the black market is where it’s headed.” He said the thefts seem to be organized, with two or three people working together in each case. Police in Brantford, Ont., are also investigating the theft of about $1,200 worth of butter from a store on Nov. 4. Charlebois said retailers could invest in prevention technologies like electronic tags, but putting them on butter or cheese is rare. He said up until recently grocery store theft has been a “taboo subject for many years.” Stores didn’t wanted to talk about thefts because they didn’t want to alarm people but now they feel they need to build awareness about what is “becoming a huge problem,” said Charlebois. Chaput, the cheese store owner, said he had been running the East Vancouver store for 15 years while managing the store in Kitsilano for 30 years, and he loves his customers. “It’s really one of the best parts of our businesses, seeing familiar faces and making new customers. It’s why we come to work, really. Partly it’s the cheese, and partly it’s the people,” said Chaput. He said his strategy to combat would-be thieves is to give them extra customer service to make it harder for them to steal. He admits, however, that the shoplifting causes him stress. “It’s challenging. You’re busy trying to run your business day to day and take care of customers and take care of employees. Having to deal with criminals, just kind of scratches away. It can be a bit exhausting,” said Chaput.DUP ministers Peter Robinson and Nigel Dodds were sanctioned in 2000 by Stormont’s leaders over their plan to disrupt the powersharing Executive. Minutes of an Executive meeting from June of that year state further action would be considered “as appropriate” if the DUP went ahead with a threat to rotate its ministers. The minutes are within files which have been declassified at the Public Record Office in Belfast. Devolved powersharing had been restored to Northern Ireland in May 2000 when Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble had received the backing of his party to go back into the Assembly, despite there having been no decommissioning of IRA arms at that point. Then DUP deputy leader Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds took up the offices as ministers for regional development and social development, but refused to attend Executive meetings due to the presence of Sinn Fein ministers. The party also said it would rotate its ministerial posts to prevent other parties from taking them. A minute of an Executive meeting on June 8 said Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds had refused a request from First Minister Mr Trimble and deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon to meet with them “to discuss recent public comments by the DUP concerning their positions as ministers”. The minute records that the Executive endorsed a proposal from the First and deputy First Ministers to write again to the two DUP ministers setting out sanctions against them. It says: “The First Minister and and Deputy First Minister would assume responsibility for representing the Executive Committee on transport matters at the British-Irish Council in place of the Minister for Regional Development. “The Minister for Social Development and the Minister for Regional Development would not be nominated to attend meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee. “Pending the receipt of satisfactory assurances from DUP Ministers regarding the confidentiality and integrity of Executive Committee business, the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would not receive Executive Committee papers as of right. “The First Minister and Deputy First Minister would seek briefing, as appropriate, from officials in the Department for Regional Development and Department for Social Development.” The minute continues: “If the DUP carried out their threat to change the holders of the two Ministerial offices on a frequent basis, the Executive Committee would consider other action as appropriate.” Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds resigned as ministers on June 27 and were replaced by party colleagues Gregory Campbell and Maurice Morrow. A minute from an Executive meeting that day says: “The Executive Committee noted that the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would be resigning their posts that afternoon, and expressed concern at the proposed rotation of the ministries held by their Party Members.”
British Columbia business owner Joe Chaput will spend $5,500 a month on security guards during the holiday season and plans on upgrading his store’s video camera system for around $5,000 more. He’s not selling luxury brands or expensive jewels. Chaput sells cheese, and at Christmas, cheese is a hot commodity. He is the co-owner of specialty cheese store les amis du Fromage, with two locations in Vancouver. While cheeselifting is rare in their Kitsilano store, the outlet in East Vancouver is hit in waves, with nothing happening for a month, then three of four people trying to steal their inventory within a week. “Sometimes, you miss it. Sometimes, you catch it. The way shoplifters behave ... they tend to gravitate toward expensive things,” said Chaput. Expensive cheese is on shoplifters’ Christmas list, he said. “They tend to do the classic examples of staying away from customer service and trying to go to a different part of the store so they can be left alone to steal.” Chaput isn’t alone. Police say food-related crimes on are the rise in Canada and as prices climb for items such as cheese and butter, they become lucrative on the black market for organized crime groups, not to mention theft for local resale. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab, said a black market tends to emerge as soon as food prices surge. “Organized crime will steal anything (if) they know they can sell it and so, they probably would have known who their clients are before even stealing anything at all, and that’s how a black market is organized,” said Charlebois. He said he believes there are two categories of people shoplifting — those who do so out of desperation because they can’t afford the food, or organized criminals, profiting from sales on the black market. Mounties in North Vancouver made cheesy headlines when they ran into a man with a cart of stolen cheese in the middle of the night in September. The cheese, valued at $12,800, was from a nearby Whole Foods Store. While the cheese was recovered, it had to be disposed of because it hadn’t been refrigerated. Const. Mansoor Sahak, with the North Vancouver RCMP, said officers believe cheese is targeted because it’s “profitable to resell.” “If they are drug addicts, they will commit further crimes with that or feed their drug habits. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Sahak. Sahak said meat is also a top target for grocery thieves, with store losses sometimes in the thousands. “So, we’re not surprised that this happened,” said Sahak. Police in Ontario have been chasing down slippery shoplifters going after butter. Scott Tracey, a spokesman with Guelph Police Service, said there have been eight or nine butter thefts over the last year, including one theft last December worth $1,000. In October, two men walked into a local grocer and filled their carts with cases of butter valued at $936, and four days later a Guelph grocer lost four cases valued at $958. Tracey said he has looked at online marketplaces and found listings by people selling 20 or 30 pounds of butter at a time. “Clearly, somebody didn’t accidentally buy 30 extra pounds of butter. So, they must have come from somewhere,” said Tracey, “I think at this point it appears to be the black market is where it’s headed.” He said the thefts seem to be organized, with two or three people working together in each case. Police in Brantford, Ont., are also investigating the theft of about $1,200 worth of butter from a store on Nov. 4. Charlebois said retailers could invest in prevention technologies like electronic tags, but putting them on butter or cheese is rare. He said up until recently grocery store theft has been a “taboo subject for many years.” Stores didn’t wanted to talk about thefts because they didn’t want to alarm people but now they feel they need to build awareness about what is “becoming a huge problem,” said Charlebois. Chaput, the cheese store owner, said he had been running the East Vancouver store for 15 years while managing the store in Kitsilano for 30 years, and he loves his customers. “It’s really one of the best parts of our businesses, seeing familiar faces and making new customers. It’s why we come to work, really. Partly it’s the cheese, and partly it’s the people,” said Chaput. He said his strategy to combat would-be thieves is to give them extra customer service to make it harder for them to steal. He admits, however, that the shoplifting causes him stress. “It’s challenging. You’re busy trying to run your business day to day and take care of customers and take care of employees. Having to deal with criminals, just kind of scratches away. It can be a bit exhausting,” said Chaput.
Sinn Fein ‘ignored role of 3,000 deaths in damaging community relations’