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NoneTaylor Swift’s Eras Tour was a phenomenon – fans ages 8 to 88 explain whyCanucks players visited an Amazon centre in east Richmond last week and made a sizeable donation to the food bank. Vancouver Canucks player Danton Heinen, Abbotsford Canucks' Arshdeep Bains and team mascot Fin paid a visit to Amazon’s YXX2 fulfillment centre in Richmond on Wednesday, Dec. 11. The trio helped Amazon present a $10,000 cheque to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, which has donated more than 40,000 items to the charity since 2021. Employees attended a Q-and-A with the players, who explored a range of topics and experiences, such as playing on home ice in front of thousands of Canucks fans. In a release, Amazon YXX2 senior operations manager Darkhan Urmurzin underscored the pride of supporting the community and hosting Heinen and Bains – highlighting the pair’s experience trying out the facility’s robotics technology by packing a few customer orders backstage. Opened in 2021, Amazon YXX2 was the first robotics fulfillment centre in Western Canada and processes thousands of customer orders daily during the holidays. Operations manager Jas Dhanoa, who hosted the Q-and-A, also explained how these B.C. hockey players are an inspiration to the community, adding their visit serves to showcase the diversity of communities such as Richmond. Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected] . To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter . Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
Australia v India: third men’s cricket Test, day one – liveThe president of Napier's Mongrel Mob Barbarian chapter, 'Heil Dogg', is being farewelled at a tangi on Friday. Police are preparing for a large number of gang members from across the country to visit the region, and say extra staff have been called in to monitor the funeral. Angus Benson, also known as Angus Ratima and 'Heil Dogg', will be taken from Palmerston North Hospital to his mother's place in the Napier suburb of Maraenui, and then to the Mongrel Mob's Napier Aoteoroa gang pad for his final night before the funeral on Friday. A social media post about the tangi urged people to "Travel safe to all our whānau coming from all over the nation". Friends and family shared their condolences on social media, saying it was a "such a big loss to the Maraenui and Napier community", and that he was "another solid brother gone way too soon". Police say his death was not being treated as suspicious and will be referred to the Coroner. A source told RNZ the tangi is expected to be peaceful, and gang members will respect the new laws banning patches in public. Police have reiterated that anyone wearing gang insignia would be arrested under the recent Gangs Act. One person had already been arrested for wearing a Mongrel Mob t-shirt on Tuesday, but police determined he was not part of the group attending the funeral. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.U.S. Presidents Pay Tribute to Jimmy Carter
IN a glitzy new-look tournament, a grimy old-school game. This was ramshackle football in tumbledown surroundings, 90 minutes as ugly as the damp-streaked concrete of the Maksimir’s unloved stands. 3 Celtic picked up another point in the Champions League Credit: Kenny Ramsay 3 Bill Leckie reckons Celtic fans should be proud of their players Credit: John Kirkby - The Sun Glasgow But if beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, then none of this will matter to Celtic . Because in the context of their season, this result might turn out like finding a diamond in a dungheap. This was a priceless Champions League point, plotted with patience and managed manfully, the kind of performance that playing away in Europe always used to be about. That it was their second away 0-0 on the bounce speaks volumes for how much they are — finally, finally — maturing at this elite level. read more football stories FINAL FEARS Johnston gives injury update after he emerges as doubt for Rangers cup final MEGA OFFER Get £50 in free bets to spend on football when you stake £10 with Betfred That it takes their unbeaten run in the competition to four, their longest since 1986, is huge credit to manager Brendan Rodgers and his players. The fact that there were plenty who moaned at full-time that they should have been winning? Well, they should take that as a compliment, not a criticism. Remember, they’d lost on all three previous visits here. Remember, they’re haunted by a catalogue of fives and sixes and sevens shipped in Paris and Madrid and Barcelona and back again. Most read in Football 'S****' My dad is Scotland’s greatest ever player but he rinsed my career at my OWN wedding FINAL FEARS Johnston gives injury update after he emerges as doubt for Rangers cup final WORRYING SCENES FA Trophy clash ABANDONED after player rushed away in ambulance MAN BYS Celtic player ratings vs Dinamo Zagreb: How Rodgers' Hoops ranked in Euro stalemate So put this result, off the back of the one against Europa League champs Atalanta in Italy last month, in that perspective and it surely can only be seen as a positive one. Since a battling 1-1 at home to Club Brugge a fortnight ago, they’ve won three league games on the spin to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership to nine points, haven’t lost a goal along the way, and are in good shape for Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final against Rangers . Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers turns on Lennoxtown Xmas lights As for the biggest trophy of all? Beat the whipping boys of Bern in front of a baying Parkhead on January 22 and they’d surely be into the play-offs with a shot at earning a glamour-dripping, money-spinning last-16 tie. That’s a successful first half of the season in anyone’s language , even if this game in itself was a four-letter-ing bore. Three shots on target all night, one from Celtic , was the lowest tally in any Champions League group stage game this season. Long before the end, you got the feeling Callum McGregor was marshalling a unit quite happy for it all to drift away into nothing-nothingness. Yet maybe even that tedium is a clear sign of their growing maturity at this level. After that 7-1 hammering in Dortmund on matchday two, they were faced with a clear choice — either to put their fingers in their ears and keep on leaving themselves wide open, or sacrifice their natural instincts and get a little bit meaner. Atalanta and now Zzzzzzzz-agreb tell the world for sure which they plumped for. They didn’t try to force the game here, didn’t go out of their way to make things happen. HOW THEY RATED By DEREK MCGREGOR KASPER SCHMEICHEL: Off his line to gather at the feet of Sandro Kulenovic as Dinamo tried to break the deadlock. Tipped over a header from Marko Pjaca late in the game 6 ALISTAIR JOHNSTON: Caught late by Marko Rog in front of the dugouts as the Dinamo star landed a booking. Canada star never fully recovered and was replaced at break 5 CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS: Looked uneasy after his Club Brugge own goal and had problems keeping his footing in first half. Close-range shot deflected well over 6 AUSTON TRUSTY: Good header out of the six-yard box early on then repeated the feat from Dinamo inswinging free-kick. Great block from Pjaca’s shot 6 GREG TAYLOR: Early yellow card for a late challenge in the Dinamo box. Heaved a huge sigh of relief when his miscue on the edge of his own box wasn’t punished 5 CALLUM McGREGOR: Captain’s 100th Euro game for the Hoops. Had the ball pinched off his toe by Lukas Kacavenda as the game started to become stretched after the hour 5 PAULO BERNARDO: In ahead of Arne Engels and flashed early free-kick just off target. Near-post corner also caused chaos. Couldn’t tame ball into box from Daizen Maeda 6 REO HATATE: Great ball from own half freed Kuhn down right. Lost footing as he tried to drill in a shot — which was his final act as Brendan Rodgers shuffled midfield 5 NICOLAS KUHN: Hit the byeline on the halfway mark but delivery was slapped away for a corner. Cut in on to his left foot after break but shot was deflected over top 6 DAIZEN MAEDA: Was booked for late challenge on Maxime Bernauer as tensions began to rise late in first half. Showed trademark energy going both ways but couldn’t find spark 5 KYOGO FURUHASHI: Great energy as he constantly pressed goalkeeper Daniel Zagorac. Didn’t get a real glimpse of goal and rested late on ahead of Sunday’s cup final 5 Anthony Ralston (4) half-time sub for injured Johnston, booked. Luke McCowan (4) tested keeper. Arne Engels (4) got last half-hour. James Forrest (3) lashed shot off target. Adam Idah (3) on as Celts chased late winner. They didn’t try to force the game here, didn’t go out of their way to make things happen. They just played steadily, stayed organised, probed when they went forward and got into shape when Dinamo forced them back the way. On the one occasion when he was properly called into action, Kasper Schmeichel once again proved himself calm in a crisis, flying high and stretching elastically to tip Marko Pjaca’s back-post header over from right under his crossbar. Off the back of the half-a-dozen big stops that had spared his mates from serious complications at home to Hibs on Saturday, the great Dane had set up his fourth clean sheet in ten days. And, as it went, he very nearly inspired them to snatch all three points at the death , too, when three of the subs Rodgers had promised came so close to combining for a brilliant winner. James Forrest picked out a brilliant reverse ball down the left to Arne Engels , who flashed a fabulous ball across the front post , where Adam Idah was only denied by a magnificent sliding challenge from Kevin Theophile-Catherine. Now that would’ve been the perfect climax to a hugely imperfect night. Instead, German ref Felix Zwayer brought it to end soon after, and Rodgers marched on to the turf to congratulate a bunch who seem to have bought 100 per cent into his thinking, both tactical and mental. After that win over Hibs , the performance as shambolic and shoddy as the scoreline was eventually convincing, he spoke about how the ability to “win and win and win” was as much in the mind as it was in the boots . 3 Here, amid the unspeakable pile that is Croatia’s national stadium, that same mindset came into play once again. Once again, Celtic were far short of their fast, flowing, imposing and imperious best. But unlike on so many European away nights of the past, they used their brains to pick their way through a tricky test and come out the other end unscathed. The Maksimir really is unspeakable, too. One whole side lying disused ever since an earthquake hit the city in 2020, fans behind each goal hover a good 30 feet above the action because of massive boundary walls, the main stand a mess of rickety press facilities, a perilous-looking TV gantry and an impossibly-steep batch of seats open to the elements. I’ve never met anyone who likes playing there. Not Dinamo, not the Croatia national team — and certainly not any visitors. Read more on the Scottish Sun SCOT MY FIRST RODEO! Popular music festival coming to three Scots cities for first time CHILL OUT Scots to be gripped by grim -10C freeze as weather map reveals temperature plunge To be honest, it’s not fit to stage football at this level. No, not even football this dull . . . Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The condemnation came as the House of Lords debated regulations paving the way for a scheme which would require animal lovers on the British mainland to have documentation in order to visit Northern Ireland. Critics view the move as further evidence of Northern Ireland still having to follow EU rules post-Brexit and being treated differently from the rest of the UK – a major source of contention to the unionist community. The paperwork, which will be free to apply for, includes a declaration that the owner will not travel onwards to Ireland or another EU country with their pet or assistance dog. Animals will have to be microchipped and have their own individual pet travel document, which will be valid for its lifetime. Northern Ireland residents returning after a stay in Great Britain with their pet or assistance dog will not need a travel document. The scheme is being introduced under the Windsor Framework, a revised deal for Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements aimed at tackling issues caused by the protocol. Raising her concerns in Parliament, Baroness Hoey, a Northern Irish Brexit supporter and former Labour MP, said: “These regulations are in effect about a new aspect of the Irish Sea border that has not had expression until this point because of the grace periods.” She added: “The experience of visiting Northern Ireland with your pet dog or cat, or even a ferret, will be made to feel like a visit to a foreign country. Lady Hoey went on: “This could spell the end of holiday trips for pet owners from GB to NI and then on to the Republic, when they want to explore both Northern Ireland and the Republic. “If they have a pet passport, they will have renounced their right to go to the Republic. That makes the border more of an obstruction than having border control posts on it, because at least in that eventuality, you could still cross over it.” Rejecting claims it was a result of the UK leaving the EU, she said: “The reality is that this is happening precisely because Northern Ireland has not got Brexit. “As we say repeatedly, it is still subject to EU rules and the EU could change the rules overnight.” Former DUP deputy leader Lord Dodds of Duncairn said: “Every one of the statutory instruments that come forward under the Windsor Framework must be properly debated, because these laws are being brought forward to implement what a foreign jurisdiction has decided should be the law of the United Kingdom. “In the 21st century, we should not accept colonial rule. We abolished it elsewhere. We believe it should not be tolerated for one second. People should have the democratic right to decide their laws for themselves, in their interests.” He added: “The ridiculous part about this debate is that we are having to debate European laws regulating the movement of pet animals owned by British citizens between one part of the United Kingdom and another. That is an outrage.” Lord Dodds went on: “As I said, there will be hundreds, thousands more of these regulations, in all areas, affecting the daily lives of people in Northern Ireland. They all add up to a grievous assault on Northern Ireland’s constitutional position.” But former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick said: “I support the Windsor Framework because it is a necessary legal device to deal with the complexities that were presented to us in Ireland, north and south, on the issue of Brexit. “We need a pragmatic solution rather than choosing to have political contests and duels simply for the sake of them.” Introducing the regulations, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ulloch said: “This scheme will simplify the requirements associated with moving pet dogs, cats and ferrets from Great Britain to Northern Ireland significantly. “It replaces single-use animal health certificates with a free-of-charge lifelong travel document and removes the need for costly pet health treatments. “Pet owners who travel frequently with their pets, or those who rely on the services of an assistance dog to travel independently, will benefit substantially from this change in approach.” However, she acknowledged the concerns raised by peers and promised to continue engagement with them.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K Dobbins is unlikely to play against the Atlanta Falcons this week because of a knee injury. Dobbins was hurt in the first half of the Chargers’ 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night. He had six carries for 40 yards and three catches for 19 yards before leaving the game. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh declined to get into specifics of the injury Wednesday, other than confirming Dobbins is “working through something with his knee,” he said. Dobbins had been putting together a strong first season for the Chargers (7-4) after his past three years in Baltimore had been injury-riddled. He has 766 yards rushing and eight touchdowns through 11 games for Los Angeles, which had positioned Dobbins as a strong candidate for AP Comeback Player of the Year. Dobbins tore his Achilles tendon in the 2023 season opener for Baltimore. He also tore his ACL in 2021, and the effects of that injury lingered into the following season. Dobbins played in just 24 of a possible 67 regular-season games for the Ravens, who drafted him in the second round in 2020. “We feel horrible for him,” quarterback Justin Herbert said. “He’s such a tough, tough teammate, and the way he’s fought through so many injuries, we have no doubt he’s going to be back better than ever. And so it’s up to us. It’s our responsibility to hold it down while he’s gone.” The absence of Dobbins leaves Gus Edwards, Hassan Haskins and rookie Kimani Vidal as the Chargers’ current options at running back. Edwards missed four games because of a high ankle sprain and has 206 yards and one touchdown in seven appearances. Haskins has mostly been a special teams contributor, while Vidal has been inactive for seven games, including each of the past three. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
China's industrial development in 2024: accelerating toward intelligent manufacturingLAS VEGAS — With a restructuring at Andretti Global that pushed Michael Andretti into a smaller role, the chances of his organization landing a Formula 1 team have substantially increased. So much so that F1 and Formula One Management could have a decision to grant the General Motors-backed entry a spot as the 11th team on the grid in the coming weeks. Dan Towriss, now the majority owner of the Andretti organization, was at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Thursday scoping his chances of entering the top motorsports series in the world. So was the FBI, allegedly, as part of a Department of Justice investigation into why F1 denied the Andretti organization expansion into the series. F1 currently has 10 teams that field 20 cars and only one — the organization owned by California businessman Gene Haas — is an American team. Las Vegas marks the third race this season in the United States, more than any other country, as F1 has exploded in American popularity over the last five years. Even so, Andretti could not get approval from F1 to enter the series. But, the situation changed in September when Andretti scaled back his role with his namesake organization. Now with Towriss in charge, talks have amplified, even though it is not clear what the name of an Andretti-less F1 team would even be. Cadillac would do the engines — but says it won't be ready until 2028 — which means a 2026 Towriss-led F1 team would be GM branded but with a partner engine supplier. Most of the existing teams have been largely opposed to an 11th team entering F1, citing a dilution in prize money and the massive expenses they've already committed to the series. But, Andretti among others believed the teams' position was personal in that they simply didn't like Andretti, who ran 13 races in the 1993 season. His father, Mario, is the 1978 F1 world champion. The Andretti application had already been approved by the FIA, which is F1's ruling body, but later denied by F1 itself. F1 promised to revisit the issue once General Motors had an engine ready to compete. The existing 10 F1 teams have no actual vote or say in if the grid is expanded, which Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reiterated Thursday when The Associated Press asked why the sudden chance of acceptance in a potential 11th team. "We have an obligation, a statutory obligation as directors, to present the standpoint that is the best for our company and for our employees, and we've done that," Wolff said. "I think if a team can add to the championship, particularly if GM decides to come in as a team owner, that is a different story. "And as long as it is creative, that means we're growing the popularity of the sport, we're growing the revenue of the sport, then no team will be ever against it. So I'm putting my hope in there." Wolff has been eager to hear from Towriss directly on what the plans for the organization are now that Andretti has a smaller role. "No one from Andretti or Andretti Global or whatever the name will be has ever spoken to me a single sentence in presentation of what the creative part is," he said. "But they don't need to because the teams don't decide. It is the commercial rights holder, with the FIA, we have no say. If I want to be invited to a party and go to the party, I'm sitting down at the table and telling who I am and why I'm really good fun and sitting here and everybody will enjoy my presence. "That hasn't happened, but you know, that's now my personal point of view, not a professional, because there's nothing we can do, nothing we can say," Wolff continued. "And I don't know the people. I've obviously spoken to Mario. I didn't speak to his son. I didn't speak to any other people that are behind that. I don't know who they are. So I know GM, GM is great." Fred Vasseur, team principal at Ferrari, said he's not opposed to another team if it adds value to F1. "The discussion is between FIA, the team, and FOM. It's not our choice," he said. "For sure, as Toto said, that if it's good for the sport, good for the show, good for the business, and adds value on the sporting side, that we are all OK." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
The condemnation came as the House of Lords debated regulations paving the way for a scheme which would require animal lovers on the British mainland to have documentation in order to visit Northern Ireland. Critics view the move as further evidence of Northern Ireland still having to follow EU rules post-Brexit and being treated differently from the rest of the UK – a major source of contention to the unionist community. The paperwork, which will be free to apply for, includes a declaration that the owner will not travel onwards to Ireland or another EU country with their pet or assistance dog. Animals will have to be microchipped and have their own individual pet travel document, which will be valid for its lifetime. Northern Ireland residents returning after a stay in Great Britain with their pet or assistance dog will not need a travel document. The scheme is being introduced under the Windsor Framework, a revised deal for Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements aimed at tackling issues caused by the protocol. Raising her concerns in Parliament, Baroness Hoey, a Northern Irish Brexit supporter and former Labour MP, said: “These regulations are in effect about a new aspect of the Irish Sea border that has not had expression until this point because of the grace periods.” She added: “The experience of visiting Northern Ireland with your pet dog or cat, or even a ferret, will be made to feel like a visit to a foreign country. Lady Hoey went on: “This could spell the end of holiday trips for pet owners from GB to NI and then on to the Republic, when they want to explore both Northern Ireland and the Republic. “If they have a pet passport, they will have renounced their right to go to the Republic. That makes the border more of an obstruction than having border control posts on it, because at least in that eventuality, you could still cross over it.” Rejecting claims it was a result of the UK leaving the EU, she said: “The reality is that this is happening precisely because Northern Ireland has not got Brexit. “As we say repeatedly, it is still subject to EU rules and the EU could change the rules overnight.” Former DUP deputy leader Lord Dodds of Duncairn said: “Every one of the statutory instruments that come forward under the Windsor Framework must be properly debated, because these laws are being brought forward to implement what a foreign jurisdiction has decided should be the law of the United Kingdom. “In the 21st century, we should not accept colonial rule. We abolished it elsewhere. We believe it should not be tolerated for one second. People should have the democratic right to decide their laws for themselves, in their interests.” He added: “The ridiculous part about this debate is that we are having to debate European laws regulating the movement of pet animals owned by British citizens between one part of the United Kingdom and another. That is an outrage.” Lord Dodds went on: “As I said, there will be hundreds, thousands more of these regulations, in all areas, affecting the daily lives of people in Northern Ireland. They all add up to a grievous assault on Northern Ireland’s constitutional position.” But former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick said: “I support the Windsor Framework because it is a necessary legal device to deal with the complexities that were presented to us in Ireland, north and south, on the issue of Brexit. “We need a pragmatic solution rather than choosing to have political contests and duels simply for the sake of them.” Introducing the regulations, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ulloch said: “This scheme will simplify the requirements associated with moving pet dogs, cats and ferrets from Great Britain to Northern Ireland significantly. “It replaces single-use animal health certificates with a free-of-charge lifelong travel document and removes the need for costly pet health treatments. “Pet owners who travel frequently with their pets, or those who rely on the services of an assistance dog to travel independently, will benefit substantially from this change in approach.” However, she acknowledged the concerns raised by peers and promised to continue engagement with them.
Hontiveros warns gov’t officials ‘coaching’ illegal Pogos
SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) — Diante Smith scored 24 points and Lance Ware added a double-double as UT Arlington beat Texas State 80-72 on Sunday night. Smith shot 9 for 11 (2 for 3 from 3-point range) and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line for the Mavericks (7-7). Ware added 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting and 12 rebounds. Raysean Seamster shot 5 of 10 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points, while adding seven rebounds. Tyler Morgan led the Bobcats (8-5) with 22 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Texas State also got 17 points and two blocks from Tylan Pope. Coleton Benson had nine points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Data Skrive.
Lipscomb secures 112-54 win against Division-III Asbury
As the quest for decentralised police system gathers momentum in the country, Deji Elumoye revisits a Bill for the Creation of State Police sponsored in the Eight and Ninth National Assembly by former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, highlighting the major provisions, including safety valves against possible abuse The quest for state police got a boost recently when the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, announced its endorsement by most of the 36 states, while the National Economic Council (NEC) is set to deliberate on the matter in January 2025. This is also coming in the face of existential threats to Nigeria by all manner of criminal gangs – terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, etc. It has become obvious, even the blind, that Nigeria’s current policing system will never work. Thanks also to President Bola Tinubu’s federalist dispositions. Before him, successive presidents played the ostrich mostly because they wanted to be “in total control.” Ex-president Muhammadu Buhari took the “total control syndrome” a notch higher by not only retaining the unsuitable centralised police system, but by equally appointing most of the heads of security and paramilitary agencies from a particular part of the country. The Director-General of the Depart of State Services (DSS), Lawal Duara, was Buhari’s kinsman. Even in his second tenure, only two – General Leo Irabor, who was the Chief of Defence Staff and Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, who was the Chief of the Air Staff) – out of 16 heads of security and related agencies were from the South. Interestingly, the North was the hardest hit by insecurity under Buhari’s watch. Predatory bandits made games of the people and chased them away from farming, which is the mainstay of the northern economy. In May 2019, the District Head of Duara, Alhaji Musa Umar, also said to be the father-in-law of Buhari’s Aide-de-camp (ADC), Col. Mohammed Abubakar, was abducted and held in captivity for over two months. So, obviously, something is fundamentally wrong with our security architecture. Yet, the warnings by well-meaning Nigerians, among them the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, fell on deaf ears. I had the opportunity of reading Ekweremadu’s lecture entitled “Nigerian Federalism: A Case for a Review”, being the Sixth Annual Oputa Lecture on Governance in Africa, which he delivered on April 11, 2012 at the Osgoode Hall, Law School, York University in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Here, he identified unitary policing and what he christened “feeding bottle federalism” as the greatest threats to Nigeria, which, if not addressed, would destroy the nation socially and economically. How prophetic! In that lecture, he reminded that Nigeria did not actually start off with a centralised police system, which was introduced by the General Yakubu Gowon Regime, ironically in line with General Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi’s Unitary Decree and Policy. The Native Authority Ordinance (No. 4 of 1916) vested the responsibility of the maintenance of law and order in the Native Authorities. The Protectorate Laws (Enforcement) Ordinance No. 15 of 1924 accentuated their powers. A Nigeria Police Force with national jurisdiction was only created in 1930 and coexisted with the Native Authority and the Local Administration police until the fall of the First Republic. However, Ekweremadu’s advocacy did not stop at just talking. He sponsored in the Eighth and Ninth Senate a Bill, which addresses the issues of structure, standardisation, control, armament, disciplinary action, co-existence with federal police, and importantly, the usual fear about possible abuse by state governors. In doing so, he drew inspirations from best practices across the globe, including the USA, Canada, and Brazil. The Bill proposes the establishment of the Federal Police, State Police, National Police Service Commission, National Police Council, and State Police Service Commissions. The Federal Police shall be responsible for the maintenance of public security, preservation of public order and security of persons and property throughout the federation to the extent provided for under the constitution or by an Act of the National Assembly, while the State Police, shall be organised and administered in accordance with such provisions as may be prescribed by a Law of the House of Assembly of a State subject to the framework and guidelines established by an Act of the National Assembly. Ekweremadu’s Bill proposes a Commissioner of State Police, who shall be appointed by the governor of the state on the advice of the National Police Service Commission, subject to confirmation of such appointment by the House of Assembly of the State. The Commissioner shall be in office for a period of five years only or until he/she attains a retirement age prescribed by law, whichever is earlier. So, the governor is not the sole appointer. Again, the governor may give lawful directives to the CP with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, but the commissioner of police shall only comply to the extent that those directives or order are neither unlawful nor contrary to general policing standards or practice. If he finds them so, he may request that the matter be referred to the State Police Service Commission for review and the decision of the state Commission shall be final and shall not be inquired into by any court. The Bill equally provides enough autonomy for Commissioners of State Police. For instance, a commissioner shall only be removed by the governor upon the recommendation of the National Police Service Commission on the grounds of misconduct in the performance of his official duties; serious breach of policing standards; conviction of any offence by a court of law or tribunal (including administrative tribunals set up by the police authorities for internal disciplining of police officers); indictment by a judicial body or tribunal for corruption, fraud, embezzlement or other unacceptable conducts in office; bankruptcy; mental incapacity; and participation in political activities of any kind either within or outside the state and including sponsoring or giving aid to any political group of movement. But importantly, such removal shall be subject to approval by two-thirds majority of the State Assembly. Furthermore, an Act of the National Assembly may prescribe a periodic review of the activities of each State Police Service by the National Police Service Commission after which it may be recertified so long as its operations adhere to set standards and regulations and do not undermine national integrity, promote ethnic, tribal or sectional agenda or marginalise any segment of the society. The composition of each State Police Service Commission, as membership, is drawn from critical segments of the society, making it extremely difficult to pocket or manipulate the Commission. Chairman is to be appointed by the governor subject to the confirmation of the State House of Assembly; a representative of the Federal Government to be appointed by the National Police Service Commission, two members, who must be indigenes of the respective state and to be appointed by the National Human Rights Commission; a representative of the Public Complaints Commission; a representative of the Labour to be appointed by the Chairman of the state branch; three retired police officers from three senatorial districts to be appointed by the governor subject to confirmation of the State House of Assembly; a lawyer-representative of the Nigerian Bar Association and a representative of the Nigerian Union of Journalists to be appointed by their respective branch chairmen. The mandates of the Commission include recommending the appointment of a Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioner of Police to the National Police Service Commission; appointment, disciplining and removal of members of the state police below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police; and other functions and powers of the commission as may be specified either in the Constitution or a Law of the House of Assembly of a State. It is noteworthy that in recommending the appointment of a Commissioner of State Police, the Commission shall propose three qualified candidates to the National Police Service Commission. The National Police Service Commission, on the other hand, shall comprise a Chairman to be appointed by the President subject to the confirmation of the Senate; two members representing the National Human Rights Commission; one representative of the Labour; six retired police officers not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police representing each of the Geo-Political zones of the country to be appointed by the President subject to confirmation of the Senate; a representative of the NBA to be appointed by the NBA President; a representative of the NUJ to be appointed by the NUJ President; and the Attorney-General of each state. The National Police Service Commission shall be responsible for the appointment of persons to offices (other than office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Federal Police; exercising disciplinary control over members of the Federal Police; recommending to the Governor of a State the appointment of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioners of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police of the State Police based on a list submitted to it by the State Police Service Commission of the relevant state and subject to confirmation by the House of Assembly of the State; recommending to the Governor, the discipline and removal of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioners of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police of the State Police; supervising the activities of the Federal Police and State Police to the extent provided for in this constitution or by an Act of the National Assembly; and prescribing standards for all police forces in the country in training, criminal intelligence databases, forensic laboratories and render assistance to State Police in areas as may be requested by such State Police. Ekweremadu’s Bill was shot down by parliament twice. But today, not only has the idea rebounded with buy-in by its worst critics, it remains the nation’s biggest guide to state police, resurrecting substantially in various Bills on the subject currently before the National Assembly. In a television interview a few months back, a former federal lawmaker, Senator Ita Enang, confessed, “Senator Ike Ekweremadu was very vehement that we should have state police. He sponsored a bill. I was one of those who vehemently opposed him and campaigned against it. I went out of my way to say that the way the governors exercise power over the electoral process, if you give them the control over security, they would kill everybody. But now, it is no longer the question of the governors. State police is an idea, which time has come.”Pet passports for dogs, cats and ferrets to travel within UK ‘an outrage’
A prototype of the CR450 EMU (electric multiple units) high-speed train, China's most recently designed high-speed bullet train model, debuted in Beijing on December 29. When operational, it is expected to reach a speed of 400 kilometers per hour, making it the fastest high-speed train in the world. (Photo/China Railway) A prototype of the CR450 EMU (electric multiple units) high-speed train, China's most recently designed high-speed bullet train model, debuted in Beijing on Sunday. When operational, it is expected to reach a speed of 400 kilometers per hour, making it the fastest high-speed train in the world, according to the country's railway operator. The train will further shorten travel time and improve connectivity, making travel more convenient and efficient for the country's vast passengers, China State Railway Group Co (China Railway) told the Global Times on Sunday. The CR450 prototype reached a test speed of 450 kilometers per hour, with key performance indicators — operational speed, energy consumption, interior noise, and braking distance — setting a new international benchmark, the company said. The CR450 will be significantly faster than the currently operating CR400 Fuxing high-speed trains, which operate at a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour. CR450 high-speed train will lower operational resistance by 22 percent and reduce weight by 10 percent compared to the CR400 bullet train, the company told the Global Times. The breakthroughs of the CR450 project will help boost China's railway technological innovation and independence, further strengthening the country's global leadership in high-speed rail technology, according to China Railway. China has built the world's longest and most advanced high-speed rail network and is ready to enhance passenger travel with faster, more comfortable, and more efficient rail services. As of September, China's high-speed rail network exceeds 46,000 kilometers, accounting for over 70 percent of the global high-speed railway length, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip killed at least 33 Palestinians on Wednesday, most of them in an airstrike on a house in Beit Lahiya town in the north of the enclave, medics said. The Beit Lahiya strike killed at least 22 people, including women and children, health officials said. Relatives listed the names of the dead on social media. More than 30 people were living in the multi-storey building before it was struck, and several family members remained missing as rescue operations continued through the morning, the Palestinian WAFA news agency said. The Israeli military said it was checking the report. In nearby Beit Hanoun, where the Israeli forces have operated since October, medics said an Israeli airstrike killed and wounded several people, without giving an exact toll. Rescue workers said several people were trapped under rubble. Earlier on Wednesday, at least seven Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, medics told Reuters. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service and medics said four other people were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on two houses in Gaza City. The Israeli military said in a statement that two rockets were fired from the central Gaza Strip into Israel, but fell in open areas and caused no injuries. It signalled the ability of Gaza militants to continue to stage rocket attacks despite 14 months of devastating Israeli aerial and ground offensives. Later on Wednesday, the Israeli military ordered residents in the Al-Maghazi camp in central Gaza to evacuate, citing rocket launches from the area. It urged them to head towards a humanitarian-designated zone near the Mediterranean coast. Palestinian and United Nations officials say there are no safe areas in the devastated enclave. Israel accuses the Palestinian militant group Hamas of hiding among the civilian population, a charge Hamas denies as a pretext by Israel to "justify its indiscriminate attacks". Israeli forces have been operating in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and the nearby Jabalia refugee camp since Oct. 5, fighting Hamas militants waging attacks from those areas and preventing them from regrouping, the Israeli military says. Palestinian officials and residents accuse Israel of depopulating the areas on the northern edge of the enclave to create a buffer zone, something Israel denies. Israel and Hamas have been waging war since Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The attack triggered Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 44,800 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say. (Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Christina Fincher and Ros Russell)World Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. An extensive report on the assassination attempts against Donald Trump during this year’s election campaign has blamed the incident on a procession of security failures, rather than any single catastrophic mistake. The country’s House of Representatives voted to set up a task force to investigate those failures after the first attempt on Mr Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, when the then-candidate’s ear was grazed by a bullet during an outdoor political rally. If the would-be assassin’s aim had been even centimetres more accurate, Mr Trump likely would have been killed. This was the attack that ended with an iconic image of a bloodied Mr Trump raising his fist to the crowd and shouting the word “fight”, before he was whisked away to safety by Secret Service agents. Snipers shot and killed the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks. Mr Trump raises a defiant fist to the crowd after the first attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania. Picture: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images via AFP In a second incident, on September 15, a gunman was spotted hiding in the bushes at Mr Trump’s golf club in Florida, where the candidate was playing a round. Secret Service officers shot at the man, subsequently identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, and he fled the scene before being arrested a short time later. Routh will face court early next year, and is looking at the prospect of life imprisonment. The 13-person task force to look into the incidents, and set up by Congress, was bipartisan, with seven Republican members and six Democrats. It ultimately conducted 46 interviews, reviewed more than 18,000 pages of documents, and visited the scene of each assassination attempt. Its report, published today, is quite thorough, running to 180 pages. You can read the whole thing here , should you be so inclined and sufficiently time-rich. “The task force found that the tragic and shocking events in Butler, Pennsylvania were preventable and should not have happened,” the 13 members of Congress concluded. “There was not, however, a singular moment or decision that allowed Thomas Matthew Crooks to nearly assassinate the former president. “The various failures in planning, execution, and leadership on and before July 13, 2024, and the pre-existing conditions that undermined the effectiveness of the human and material assets deployed that day, coalesced to create an environment in which the former president, and everyone at the campaign event, were exposed to grave danger.” The report is actually complimentary of the Secret Service’s work regarding the second attempt in September, saying “the events that transpired in West Palm Beach demonstrated how properly executed protective measures can foil an attempted assassination”. Secret Service agents surround Mr Trump after the shooting in Butler. Picture: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images via AFP Mr Trump’s defiance. Picture: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images via AFP The report identifies “several decision points” that “if handled differently, could have prevented” Crooks from firing eight shots at the stage, in Butler, while Mr Trump was giving a campaign speech. “Foremost, the failure to secure a recognised high-risk area immediately adjacent to the venue – specifically the American Glass Research (AGR) grounds and building complex – gave rise to several vulnerabilities that eventually allowed Crooks to evade law enforcement, climb on and traverse the roof of the AGR complex, and open fire,” it said. “Despite its proximity to a main road, clear sight lines to the stage, and elevated position, the Secret Service allowed a crowd that was not screened to gather at the fence line separating the secured area and the AGR complex. “The presence of the crowd outside the secured area made Crooks more difficult to interdict as his behaviour became increasingly suspicious.” That initial failure to secure the building upon whose roof Crooks took aim was “compounded by the fact that the area was not sufficiently monitored or patrolled to deter threats”. “The Secret Service did not provide clear guidance to its state and local partners about which entity was responsible for the area,” the committee said. “An expressed lack of manpower and assets was not sufficiently addressed, resulting in coverage gaps on the ground. “Further, local snipers on the property understood their responsibility to be overwatch of the crowd and the venue, not the area outside the secure perimeter where Crooks loitered and prepared, believing that area to have been secured by Secret Service counter-snipers.” The now-dead gunman, Thomas Crooks. Other failures involved “technology meant to supplement venue security” being down for hours, a “fragmented communication structure”, and “pre-existing issues” involving the Secret Service’s leadership and training. The task force’s report includes 25 recommendations, based on the events in Butler, which are intended to prevent a similarly perilous incident in the future. Most of them are redacted, though the publicly available report does recommend recording “all radio transmissions” at protective events and “considering staffing redundancies for high pressure moments”. “On July 13, the Secret Service did not record its radio communications,” the report says. “The absence of radio logs or recordings significantly limits the ability to reconstruct events for either investigative or evaluative purposes. To the extent that there are any technological limitations that prevent radio recordings or logs for all protective events, the Secret Service must prioritise addressing those challenges to enable this capability.” More generally, the committee concluded “Congress must ensure that the Secret Service determines ways to strengthen its capabilities and reduce the strain on its resources” if it’s to sufficiently protect presidential candidates going forward. More Coverage ‘Harm’: Doctors demand Covid vaccine pulled Frank Chung Israel wipes out Syria’s navy in bomb spree Shannon Molloy Originally published as ‘Grave danger’: Report into Donald Trump assassination attempts released Read related topics: Donald Trump More related stories News ‘Grave danger’: Scathing Trump security failure report A congressional taskforce investigating the assassination attempts on Donald Trump has released a scathing report into the Secret Service. 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