SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Russia has supplied air defense missile systems to North Korea in exchange for sending its troops to support Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine, a top South Korean official said Friday. The U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia in October, some of whom have recently begun engaging in combat on the front lines. North Korea’s troop deployment threatens to escalate the war, and what Russia could give to the North in return has been a source of rampant international speculation. The most alarming development for South Korea and the U.S. would be Russia transferring sophisticated weapons technology that can enhance North Korea’s nuclear-capable missiles targeting its rivals. Many experts say, though, that it is unlikely Russia would do this in the initial stage of the North’s troop deployment. Shin Wonsik, national security adviser for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, told an SBS TV program Friday that South Korea has found Russia provided missiles and other equipment to help it reinforce its air defense network for Pyongyang, the capital. Shin didn’t say what specific missiles Russia gave to North Korea. Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea, said that Russia has likely sent S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles, launchers and ground-based radar systems. He said that North Korea is capable of building shorter-range surface-to-air missiles on its own. The S-400 missile, with a range of 400 kilometers (250 miles), is considered one of Russia’s most advanced anti-aircraft weapons. But Lee questioned how significantly it can boost Pyongyang’s air defense, saying Russian air defense systems have failed to effectively deal with Ukrainian drone assaults. Many observers say North Korea has likely felt the urgent need to boost its air defense capabilities after it last month accused South Korea of flying drones to scatter propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang. North Korea threatened to take military action if leaflets were again dropped. South Korea’s military has refused to confirm whether or not it was behind the alleged drone flights. Kim Dae Young, a military expert at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said it’s possible that the air defense systems North Korea acquired from Russia could include counter-drone equipment. Kim said that Pyongyang’s outdated air defense system would need years of improvement and potentially huge external help to cope with the superior air forces of South Korea and the United States. Shin said Russia has also appeared to have given economic assistance to North Korea and various military technologies, including those needed for the North’s efforts to build a reliable space-based surveillance system. Shin didn’t say whether Russia has already transferred sensitive nuclear and missile technologies to North Korea. During a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin already said that Moscow was willing to help the North build satellites. North Korea put its first spy satellite into orbit in November last year, but foreign experts question whether that satellite can produce militarily meaningful imagery. The North’s attempt to launch a second spy satellite failed in May. North Korea and Russia have been sharply boosting their military and other cooperation in the face of separate confrontations with the U.S. and its allies. Last month, South Korea’s spy agency said that North Korea had sent more than 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles and other conventional arms to Russia since August 2023 to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpiles. The National Intelligence Service said Wednesday that North Korea had recently sent additional artillery systems to Russia. Earlier this week, North Korea and Russia reached a new agreement for expanding economic cooperation following high-level talks in Pyongyang this week, according to the countries’ state-run media.
Site Is in One of The Country's Fastest Growing Areas with One of The Strongest Economy And Provides Easy Access to The Crossroads of America SALT LAKE CITY , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- VanTrust Real Estate today announced the acquisition of 32 acres, located at 5998 West Parkway Blvd, in West Valley City, Utah , to build four industrial warehouse buildings. The site's prime location offers easy access to the "Crossroads of America" – a network of interstates, local highways, roads and rail lines that converge in Utah's capital city area. The site is located just south of State Route 201 and west of Mountain View Corridor. It is also near the Salt Lake City International Airport, Interstate 80, Interstate 15, and the Union Pacific Railroad intermodal hub. The site will accommodate four buildings that will provide 600,000 square feet of new Class A industrial space to this growing logistics area. According to Tom Freeman and Travis Healy of Colliers, the leasing team VanTrust has hired to market the buildings, there is consistent demand for space in this area due to its strategic position in the Salt Lake Valley, and because the area is one of the fastest growing and has one of the strongest economies in the country. "We are thrilled to have acquired this advantageously located site on which to build new industrial warehouses," said Chris McCluskey , VanTrust's Executive Vice President of Development for Salt Lake City . "One of our specialties at VanTrust is industrial properties, and we are excited to add this tremendous location to our portfolio." VanTrust anticipates construction on the first two buildings will start in late spring 2025 and deliver late spring 2026. Construction timing on the second two buildings is still to be determined. Specific tenants for the warehouses have not yet been identified. Since its inception in 2010, VanTrust has experienced rapid growth. The full-service real estate development company is based in Kansas City , with offices in Columbus , Dallas , Phoenix , Jacksonville , and Salt Lake City . VanTrust has developed more than 68 million square feet of office, industrial, multifamily, science + technology, and mixed-use development. The company has more than $7 billion of product nationwide. About VanTrust Real Estate VanTrust Real Estate, LLC is a full-service real estate development company. The company acquires and develops real estate assets for the Van Tuyl family portfolio and offers a broad range of real estate services including acquisition, disposition, development, development services, corporate services, and asset enhancement. Product types include office, industrial, multifamily, mixed-use and science + technology. VanTrust works nationally with regional offices in Columbus , Dallas , Phoenix , Jacksonville and Salt Lake City with its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri . For more information, visit www.vantrustre.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vantrust-real-estate-acquires-strategically-located-salt-lake-county-site-to-build-four-new-industrial-warehouses-302330708.html SOURCE VanTrust Real Estate
Youths from the Blacksand area in Port Vila have launched a big cleanup campaign that began on Monday. The campaign kicked off at Tagabe and is set to conclude at the roundabout near the University of the South Pacific (USP) Emalus campus. Abel Kalo, Social Activity Coordinator of Divine Presbyterian Church at Blacksand, explained the initiative’s purpose is to engage local youth in positive activities while encouraging a sense of ownership and pride in the capital city. “By participating in the cleanup, the young people are not only improving the environment but also building a connection with Port Vila,” he said. The campaign spans key locations in Port Vila, with local leaders commending the initiative for its potential to instill community responsibility in the youth. “As the cleanup progresses, we encourage more youth from different parts of Port Vila to join, contributing to the city's cleanliness and well-being,” Kalo added. He also urged everyone to help maintain a cleaner city, emphasising its broader benefits. “A cleaner city promotes better health, attracts tourists, and fosters community pride. Port Vila is our home. Together, we can make it a shining example of cleanliness and sustainability,” Kalo stated. The Blacksand youths believe Port Vila Municipality should establish agreements with community groups dedicated to maintaining gardens, beautifying urban areas, and providing waste separation bins. “The city should enforce strict penalties for littering, water pollution, and air pollution, including from vehicles and plastics,” a spokesperson stressed.
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Ex-Colorado footballer Bloom dedicates time to fulfilling wishes for older adultsLAKE FOREST, Calif, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATIF Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: ATIF , the "Company" or "ATIF") announced today that the Company plans on changing its Nasdaq ticker symbol from “ATIF” to “ZBAI”. The Company plans to announce the date and detailed plans for the official stock ticker symbol change by the end of December 2024. No actions will be required by existing shareholders with respect to the planned ticker symbol change. The Company’s Ordinary Shares will continue to be listed on Nasdaq and the CUSIP will remain unchanged. About ATIF ATIF Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: ATIF ) is a Lake Forest-based business consulting company that specializes in providing professional IPO, M&A advisory and post-IPO compliance services to small and medium-sized companies seeking to go public on a stock exchange in the United States. The company has a proven track record in successfully delivering comprehensive U.S. IPO consulting services to clients primarily in the United States but also internationally. The mission of ATIF is to provide one-stop, comprehensive consulting services that guide clients through the complex and often challenging process of going public. ATIF recognizes the complexity and challenges associated with the process of going public, and endeavors to simplify it while ensuring optimal outcomes for its clients through its comprehensive consulting services. ATIF has been awarded the "Golden Bauhinia Award", the highest award in the financial and securities industry in Hong Kong, for "Top 10 Best Listed Companies". Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe Harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, "estimated," "projected," Words such as "expect", "anticipate", "predict", "plan", "intend", "believe", "seek", "may", "will", "should", "future", "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the opposite of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance, conditions or results and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company's control and may cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors include future financial and operating results, including revenues, income, expenses, cash balances and other financial items; Ability to manage growth and expansion; Current and future economic and political conditions; The ability to compete in industries with low barriers to entry; The ability to obtain additional financing to fund capital expenditure in the future. Ability to attract new customers and further enhance brand awareness; Ability to hire and retain qualified management and key staff; Trends and competition in the financial advisory services industry; Pandemic or epidemic disease; Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions you that actual results may differ materially from the expected results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make. You should not interpret forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements represent only the beliefs and assumptions of our management as of the date such statements are made. The above forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. Contact Information Kenny@atifchina.com ctan@htflawyers.com jwu@htflawyers.com
Ten of thousands of Syrians have been celebrating after the first Friday prayers since the fall of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad. or signup to continue reading The lightning victory by an opposition rebel alliance, which took control of Damascus last weekend, ended more than 53 years of rule by the al-Assad family. Clapping, raising victory signs and waving flags of the Syrian opposition, people in major squares across the country on Friday chanted "God bless Free Syria". "Raise your head up high you are a free Syrian now," said the crowds who gathered after the traditional weekly prayers. According to eyewitnesses, tens of thousands of people gathered at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus alone. "All the doors were open for the first time to allow everyone to do Friday prayers inside the mosque," a resident of the capital told the DPA news agency. The leader of the Islamist insurgency alliance Ahmed al-Sharaa - still widely known by his nom-de-guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani - earlier called on Syrians to celebrate peacefully. "Celebrate without firing celebratory gunfire and do not terrify people," al-Sharaa said in a video message where he was dressed with a white shirt, rather than his previous military fatigues. Eyewitnesses in various cities told DPA that strict security measures were being taken to monitor the celebrations. "Public security will deal firmly with anyone proven to be involved in shooting during the celebration," a statement from the Syrian opposition groups said. "We call for adherence to peaceful behaviour during demonstrations to preserve everyone's safety," the statement added. Khaled al-Imam, a resident of the Daraya suburb of Damascus, said he was going out "to celebrate the victory over the regime of Bashar al-Assad, who killed two of my brothers and more than 15 of my family members". Until his ouster, al-Assad had been in power in Syria for 24 years and had fought a brutal civil war against rebel groups for more than 13 years. The war seemed to have been at a stalemate, with the rebels beaten back in most areas, until a lightning offensive spearheaded by jihadist groups at the end of November revealed that the government's hold on power was far weaker than many thought. Al-Sharaa's force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and its allied insurgents have been working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing the capital early on Sunday. At the same time, they have tried to reassure a public that is both stunned by the fall of the state that had long ruled with an iron hand and concerned over extremist jihadis among the insurgents. The Friday prayers have a particular symbolism because in the early days of the anti-government uprising-turned-civil-war in Syria in 2011, protesters would turn out en masse after going to the mosque. "Unified Syria to build Syria," the crowd gathered in Damascus' Umayyad Square chanted. Some shouted slurs about the former president and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centres of Assad's security forces. As the gathering took place, the top US diplomat was in the region discussing the United States view on the developments in Syria with regional powers. In the Turkish capital Ankara, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was "broad agreement" between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women" and does not "pose any kind of threat to any of Syria's neighbours," Blinken said during joint statements with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The insurgent groups that toppled Assad in Syria have not made clear their policy or stance on Israel, whose military in recent days has bombed sites all over the country. Israel says it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands and has seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. with AP DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. 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Susan Shelley: The mundane reality of UFOs
MP: ASP Rank Officers From State Visits Cambridge University To Learn Int’l Level Policing SystemEvidence of Massive Solar Storm Strike on Earth 2,700 Years Ago Found in Tree Rings
All of previous coach Ron Rivera's first-rounders — including edge rusher Chase Young in 2020, linebacker Jamin Davis in ‘21 and wide receiver Jahan Dotson in '22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by coach Dan Quinn and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform. It's unclear if Forbes' release means anything about the status of cornerback Marshon Lattimore , the Commanders' trade deadline pickup in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for Washington's home game Sunday against Tennessee. The Commanders (7-5) also put running back Austin Ekeler on injured reserve because of a concussion . They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8). Washington has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left. Seibert went on IR earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera's front office chose the 166-pound Mississippi State defensive back with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. Gonzalez was selected next, by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots. Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in '21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Remains found in Pennsylvania woods in1973 identified as 14-year-old girl
The festive season has just gotten over, and many of us are already prepping to welcome the New Year with our loved ones. There might also be some who plan to host a New Year bash at their homes this year. We spoke with Aashita Chadha, Co-Founder of The KariGhars, a Bengaluru-headquartered Interior design firm that specializes in creating unique homes with top-notch functionality, and a luxury and elegant vibe. We also asked her for some tips to add a celebratory fervor to our home interiors this year end. Excerpts from the interview: What are The KariGhars? How are you different as an Interior design and decor partner? The KariGhars is a premier luxury interior design firm based in Bangalore, bringing over 15 years of expertise to the industry. We specialize in crafting bespoke spaces that seamlessly blend elegance, luxury, and functionality, ensuring that every project reflects the unique personality and style of our clients. Our comprehensive, end-to-end solutions encompass every detail—from conceptual design to flawless execution—delivered on time and within budget. With The KariGhars, your dream home becomes a reality without the stress of coordinating multiple vendors or managing delays. What sets us apart is not just our commitment to quality but also our promise of reliability. We are proud to be the only company in India offering a lifetime warranty on our projects, reinforcing our dedication to long-term relationships with our clients. What led to the idea of quitting comfortable jobs and designing unique homes? It was a couple’s quest for a personal abode attuned to their expectations and aspirations, which eventually led to the inception of The KariGhars. Our journey began when my husband Abhishek and I were in the process of getting our home interiors. While it acquainted us with the utter chaos and unorganized processes in interior designing and décor, we felt the pain & ordeals that most homebuyers went through. It was at this point that we quit our jobs to start our firm, which has been helping other homeowners design their homes in a hassle-free manner. How has the interior designing and decor space in India evolved over the past few years? The interior design and decor space in India has evolved from being purely functional to highly experiential, with a strong focus on personalization. There’s a growing demand for sustainable, eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient solutions. Technology plays a pivotal role, with 3D visualizations and virtual reality enhancing design precision and client involvement. Additionally, global trends are influencing Indian aesthetics, leading to a fusion of modern and traditional elements. Homeowners now seek spaces that reflect their personality, prioritize comfort, and offer a sense of luxury. Tell us about your early life My early years were spent in Jamshedpur, a beautiful industrial town with a cosmopolitan culture of its own, after which I pursued my engineering from Pune University. Following a brief stint in the IT sector, I co-founded The KariGhars with my husband Abhishek Chadha. Kindly share some details about your expansion to Hyderabad We recognize the immense potential that Hyderabad offers, particularly in the luxury interior design segment. As part of our growth strategy, we are actively preparing to establish our presence in the city with the same level of excellence and craftsmanship that defines us in Bangalore. Our team is currently formulating tailored strategies and plans to align with the unique preferences of Hyderabad’s homeowners, ensuring that our services resonate with the city’s evolving luxury landscape. Our goal is to position ourselves as a luxury interior firm in Hyderabad, delivering bespoke designs that reflect both global trends and local sensibilities. We are targeting 2025 as the year to make our mark, tapping into Hyderabad’s vibrant and expanding market with our turnkey solutions, premium finishes, and uncompromising commitment to quality. With this expansion, we aim to recreate the same trust and reputation that we have built over the years in Bangalore. Any interior decor tips for our readers, especially for New Year bash? For a New Year bash, focus on layered lighting with lanterns, and fairy lights to create a warm ambiance. You can also add dash of colors through velvet cushions and silk throws, and enhance your entryway with floral garlands and statement pieces. Don’t forget to incorporate scented candles for a soothing vibe.Getting smart about car insurance can provide cost savings and peace of mind