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sg777 win apk Roslindale, MA (CommonWealth Beacon) Adrian Ventura, executive director of the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores (CCT), prepares for a meeting in early December. Ventura co-founded the CCT after the 2007 Michael Bianco Inc. raid in which 361 undocumented workers were arrested. Credit: Sophie Park for CommonWealth Beacon. Credit: Sophie Park for CommonWealth Beacon On a chilly November evening, the first after a string of 70-degree days, people made their way to a former storefront on Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford's North End. Some of the 50 or so gathered made small talk with friends, mainly in Spanish and K"iche", a language spoken by over a million people in rural Mayan communities of Guatemala. Voters had elected Donald Trump to the presidency a second time just two weeks before, and this fact sat heavily in the air among those in attendance -- primarily immigrants from Central America, many of them undocumented -- at the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores (CCT), or Worker's Community Center. During the campaign, Trump promised voters mass deportations, pledging at points to declare a national emergency and involve the military in rounding up immigrants. He has publicly mused about changing the Constitution to end birthright citizenship. In an appearance on "Meet the Press," Trump said he'd consider deporting US citizen children of deportees to avoid separating families, and his pick for border czar, Tom Homan, said the largest deportation operation in history would start on January 21, the day after Trump's inauguration. The first speaker of the evening was New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira, who was peppered with questions in Spanish about how Trump's deportation plans might affect the work of the local police. If we suffer a hate crime, can we still report it? If Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issues a detainer, do police act on it? "We have nothing to do with ICE," Oliveira reassured the crowd through an interpreter. "Nothing changes between the police and how we interact with the community." After Oliveira, Jennifer Velarde, a New Bedford immigration attorney, stood in the front of the room and began listing ways to prepare for a dramatic shift in immigration policy: Don't open the door to anyone you don't know unless they have a warrant. You have a right to remain silent. Abstain from -- and seek treatment for disorders related to -- alcohol and other mind-altering substances to avoid legal problems. Velarde also advised people to draw up documents granting custody of their children to a trusted person and to ensure their passports are ready to visit parents abroad. "If you know there's a chance you could be deported, now's the time to talk about it with your family," she said. All the advice she had to offer could be summed up in two words: brace yourselves. "There is much about what will happen that we don't know about," Velarde said. "What I do know is much of what I know about immigration [law] is going to change, and it's not going to be pretty." For two centuries, immigrants have sought refuge in New Bedford and have become the backbone of the city's main economic driver -- the fishing industry -- which generates $11.1 billion annually in economic activity, according to a 2019 study commissioned by the Port of New Bedford. Their presence in this city -- extending back to the heydays of the whaling and textile industries -- continues to grow. More than one-fifth of New Bedford's more than 100,000 residents were foreign-born as of the 2023 American Community Survey One-Year Estimate, almost 55 percent of them non-citizens. Immigrant advocates have good reason to think New Bedford may figure prominently on a list of places that will be targeted under an aggressive deportation campaign by the new administration. Activists here founded CCT in the aftermath of the March 2007 Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid -- the largest in US history at the time -- on the Michael Bianco Inc. textile plant in New Bedford's South End, which resulted from a tip from a worker. Agents detained 361 undocumented workers from Cabo Verde, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Portugal, and other countries. One activist with the group, an undocumented Guatemalan man who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fears of deportation, said CCT was born of struggle and will continue to fight for local workers and the immigrant community under the second Trump administration. Mass deportations on the scale Trump is promising would, many experts say, mean families ripped apart, livelihoods lost, and a drain on the social safety net as undocumented immigrants pay billions into Social Security and Medicare through payroll taxes without being able to access payments or services from the programs themselves. It would not only upend New Bedford's fishing houses but also affect state tax coffers and potentially force many residents to leave in search of jobs. Having lived through the Bianco raid, New Bedford already has more first-hand experience than most communities with deportations at scale. In 2007, more than half of those deported were from Guatemala, and most were indigenous Maya from the district of El Quiché in the nation's northwest. Families were split apart as social services, city agencies, and even schools attempted to navigate the chaos. The raid also made it impossible to ignore how large swaths of the US economy quietly rely on undocumented immigrants. The lack of details about Trump's plans leaves officials, activists, and civilians apprehensive and anxious about the scale, tactics, and impacts of such an operation. Nonetheless, activists in New Bedford say they are sure the city won't escape the consequences. "I'm confident [Trump] will follow through," said a CCT activist who also works with Pescando Justicia (Fishing for Justice), an organization focused on labor conditions in fish houses in New Bedford and the surrounding areas. He asked to remain anonymous due to fears of deportation related to his undocumented status. "Our community is not ready for what's coming." Though a small segment of the Massachusetts economy, fishing and seafood processing dominate New Bedford. City officials tout its status as the largest fishing port in the country when measured by the value of the catch. In 2023, the port's landings were valued at more than $363 million, National Marine Fisheries Service data show. (The second-place port, Dutch Harbor in Alaska, had a catch value of $224.5 million.) Much of this is due to the price of the Atlantic sea scallop, which makes up 80 percent of the New Bedford catch. The city's maritime heritage is key to its identity, with deep roots reaching at least to the 19th century, when it was a world leader in whaling and processed whale products. A history of whaling ships stopping in the Azores and Cabo Verde islands to rest, recrew and resupply planted those communities' roots in the city. Both groups have become an integral part of New Bedford's identity. Those immigrants were vital to the city's maritime industries then and remain so now, whether in the US legally or not, said Helena DaSilva Hughes, president of the Immigrants' Assistance Center (IAC) -- a local social services nonprofit. "You can't talk about how New Bedford is the number one [fishing] port in the country for 20 years without talking about who's doing the work. [The fish houses] are the economic engine of New Bedford," Hughes said, and without immigrant labor "they would cease to function." About 10,000 undocumented people reside in New Bedford, according to the most recent estimate provided by the IAC, a conservative one in Hughes's eyes. She added that her organization is arranging clinics to help families prepare for the worst. "It's not just going to be undocumented immigrants who are deported; legal permanent residents are not citizens yet, and they can be deported as well," she said. "There are a lot of people who are perceived as undocumented but really are not," said Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts (CEDC), another local social services nonprofit that works extensively with immigrant populations. "They are under precarious circumstances because a lot of the programs they are here under need to be periodically renewed." Programs such as deferred action for enforcement purposes, childhood arrivals, and Temporary Protected Status have enabled many to stay in the country and work legally in the US, as have asylum policies. Their continuation under a new Trump administration remains an open question. Yet that uncertainty is, to an extent, the point, said Williams, even if deportations do not happen in as flashy a manner as the Bianco raid. "The purpose is to terrorize communities and instill fear," she added. Immigration happens more at an individual level, she added, as each case has its own context and nuance that makes legal processes difficult to navigate. Overwhelm the system, and not only do processes slow, but the resources to help maneuver through the system disappear altogether. "That was the tragedy of the Bianco raid," she said. "It was a big sweep, and people didn't get access to legal counsel. But who has the bandwidth to stand beside every single case?" The Central American presence in New Bedford began in the 1980s due to the confluence of two significant events. The first was the Guatemalan Genocide, a part of that nation's almost 36-year civil war, when the US-backed military regime killed or "disappeared" around 200,000 mostly indigenous Maya. The violence launched a wave of Guatemalan migrants north, many without documentation. The second was a series of strikes by fishermen and fish house workers in the 1980s over earnings, pensions, and hiring practices. The Seafarers International Union of North America strike in December 1985 was broken when non-union workers were brought in to keep the boats in operation. Shortly thereafter, the union dissolved and became one of the many destroyed amid the anti-union sentiment ushered in by the Reagan administration, creating vacancies for new arrivals willing to work at lower rates. As a result of the unions' dissolution, many hiring restrictions were lifted on boats and in New Bedford's more than 45 fish houses and processors. Undocumented workers, initially led by Guatemalan K"iche" and hired through temporary placement agencies, began to stream into New Bedford via Providence, with friends and family often following. That's how the Pescando Justicia activist -- who labored in multiple fish houses for 17 years -- found work. "[Fish houses] would regularly give work to undocumented people," he said in Spanish, adding that he was only aware of two among 50 coworkers at his last job with proper documentation. "They definitely know it, too." His former employer -- Atlantic Red Crab Co. -- has been under investigation by the US Department of Labor for "possible violations of child labor, overtime pay, and anti-retaliation laws," The Public's Radio, Rhode Island's NPR station, reported in September 2023. A year before that, Pescando Justicia began circulating a Code of Conduct for fish house operators and local officials to sign, asking them to respect the rights of all workers regardless of their citizenship status. Around this time, the activist said the company began cutting hours. "They'd hire us because they knew we wouldn't complain because of worries about our status," he said. "When we started [organizing], that's when they came after us." Atlantic Red Crab Co. officials did not respond to a request for comment. But in an interview with The Public's Radio, owner Jon Williams said a 16-year-old found to be working at his plant came through a staffing agency. "It isn't like I hired this person, but the staffing agency sent that person to my building," he said in the interview. "And yes, that person worked in my building. I can't deny that. But sometimes I have 150 people working in my building, and they all wear hairnets and face masks. So it's pretty hard to tell an 18-year-old from a 16-year-old." The most recent census data show that 1,500 Guatemalans now live in New Bedford, though that figure is likely low because many undocumented residents don't respond to the census for fear of being deported. Many familiar with the community say 6,000 is a more accurate estimate. (By 2022, their presence was strong enough for New Bedford Public Schools to enter into an agreement with the Department of Justice to improve interpretation services in K"iche", an indigenous language.) The flow of migrants from Guatemala never stopped as decades of war shattered society and institutions. Immigrants from El Salvador and Honduras -- nations dealing with similarly tumultuous histories and politics -- soon followed. "The processing sector couldn't survive [mass deportations]. It's low wage, hard work." - Daniel Georgianna, a fisheries resource economist Many of those immigrants work on fishing boats and in processing houses, but the actual numbers are difficult to calculate, said Daniel Georgianna, a fisheries resource economist and chancellor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. "They don't count undocumented people," he said. "They just don't." Whatever the exact number, Georgianna said undocumented workers are essential to the operation of New Bedford's fish houses. "The processing sector couldn't survive [mass deportations]," he added. "It's low wage, hard work." Representatives from the Port of New Bedford, the National Marine Fisheries Institute, a business group, and multiple seafood processing plants did not respond to requests for comment. Jobs in the fish houses are often monotonous and physically demanding, requiring long hours on one's feet in low-temperature environments with hands submerged in water for long periods, swiftly fileting marine products with sharp tools. "If you ever saw a fish cutter at work, you just wouldn't believe it," Georgianna said. "They filet a fish in 20 seconds and get a better yield than a machine." Should mass deportations begin on the new administration's first day, as Trump frequently says they will, Georgianna conceded wages might increase to attract citizen labor. But with the rise of technology, he suspects most companies would simply freeze the products and ship them overseas for processing before returning to American markets, much like what happened with the textile and garment industries. Once there, transportation costs and the potential impact of tariffs proposed by the president-elect would impact prices in stores and restaurants. He said that is where most Massachusetts residents would feel the effect. "It would cause a large shift, not only immediately but longer term," he said. "Quality would decline, and prices would go up because immigrants do food production. Period." State Rep. Christopher Hendricks, a New Bedford Democrat whose district includes the North End and much of the city's port, concurred. "It could potentially be devastating for New Bedford," Hendricks said of Trump's mass deportation threat. "Especially the fishing fleet in New Bedford. When fish comes off the boat, it gets processed, chances are, by an immigrant from Central America." "I don't know anybody who's not from that community who's gotten a job in fish processing in the last 20 years," he continued. "I hope those companies are vocal about their workforce and their true needs and how it's going to be disruptive." Despite the widespread knowledge of immigrant labor's role in their industry, support for Trump is high among fishermen here. Many were drawn by hopes that he'd lift fishing restrictions and take their concerns about the effects of offshore wind farms on marine habitats seriously. Tyler Miranda, a captain of four scalloping boats docked in New Bedford who voted for Trump in November, said the local impacts of such deportations would be short-term and evolve over time. "I don't think [fish houses] will shut down," he said. "He can't just come through and take everybody; that's just unrealistic." Miranda added that he thinks border crossings need to be brought under control, and not deporting people incentivizes more migrants to come to the United States. "It is not that they've committed any crimes or anything while they're here, but they are here illegally," he said. "Our workforce shouldn't be made up of illegal immigrants." Trump has not released specifics about deportation plans beyond saying he would declare a national emergency and use the military to round people up. (In a December interview with NBC News, Trump said he would like to work with Democrats to figure out a legislative solution to help undocumented immigrants who came to America as children stay in the country legally.) Miranda acknowledges the contributions of immigrants -- with or without documentation -- to the industry. Nonetheless, he said they should face consequences for entering the country illegally. "Unfortunately, there will be some economic ramifications because we're in this position," he said. "Most of them are good, hard-working people. But there's a process for coming to this country." Recent history may have lessons as to what those ramifications may be. Georgianna pointed to the textile and apparel industries that once employed thousands. In the 1920s, there were 70 textile and fabric mills in New Bedford before those began to close and move south to states like Alabama and Virginia where wages were lower. Apparel and stitching mills began employing many immigrants, especially women -- a trend that continued into the 1990s. When the US signed the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, which became effective in 1994, companies moved millions of jobs to Mexico. According to the Executive Office of Labor and Development, there were 14 textile and fabric mills in New Bedford in 2001. Today, only three remain. The apparel mills, more prominent in the city by the 1990s, dropped from 28 to 13 over the same time period. "I came in [19]77, and there were still a lot of stitching shops in the city," Georgianna said. "They're pretty much gone now." That meant paychecks disappeared, and spending and tax revenues were severely diminished -- a trend made worse by more people leaving the area to find work. According to one city analysis, New Bedford's population dropped by 6 percent in the 1990s. It also led to a 6 percent drop in median household income, from $29,441 in 1989 to $27,569 in 1999. Significant as the effects of the garment and textile industry collapse were, sudden mass deportations could have a far bigger impact given the truncated timescale. The adverse effects would be felt swiftly and widely, activists say. "Southeastern Mass. in general is vulnerable because we haven't enjoyed the boom that happened in the Boston area and we depend on sectors like fishing, manufacturing, construction," Williams, of the Southeastern Massachusetts CEDC, said. Massachusetts has taken center stage in the immigration debate on multiple occasions in recent years. In September 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida airlifted 50, mostly Venezuelan, asylum seekers to Martha's Vineyard. The ensuing media storm generated widespread public sympathy for their plight. However, many red state governors followed suit, and a steady stream of migrants, most notably 14,000 Haitians, many seeking asylum and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections, arrived in the two years since. Stories swamped the local media about the new migrants sleeping in Logan Airport and overwhelming the Massachusetts shelter system, prompting Gov. Maura Healey to declare a state of emergency last year. Consequently, sympathy among sectors of the general public ebbed and gave way to hostility toward the new arrivals. It was against this backdrop that Trump promised to "launch the largest deportation program in American history" on day one of his second term and to deport people "as fast as possible." What that looks like in practice remains to be seen. The logistics of deporting millions of people -- some estimates put the number of undocumented residents as high as 11 million nationwide -- would be costly and have ripple effects across the economy. Massachusetts is home to an estimated 130,300 undocumented immigrants, with a total spending power of $3.7 billion. They tend to work in cleaning, construction, food service, and manufacturing jobs. Nonetheless, several prominent politicians statewide -- including Healey -- have said they will not allow the use of state or municipal resources to assist ICE with enforcement actions. "I think it's absolutely appropriate that there be enforcement and deportation of individuals who commit crime, including violent crime. That's very, very important," Healey told NBC Boston shortly after Trump's victory. "We recognize it would be devastating if there were mass raids, here and across the country, that took out people who've been working in this country for a long time, who have families and kids here." Healey's office declined requests for an interview from CommonWealth Beacon. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has also gone on record to say that the city will be relying on the Boston Trust Act, an ordinance that prohibits Boston police from asking people their immigration status and making arrests on administrative ICE warrants, to resist pressure from the Trump administration to assist in deportations. "The Boston Trust Act puts strict prohibitions on local law enforcement from being pulled into becoming the enforcement arm for the whims of whatever the sort of approach of the federal immigration law might be," Wu said in November on "Boston Public Radio." "Our charge here is to take care of the residents of Boston and to use the resources that we have from all the sources that are available to get things done on the issues that matter." Neither Massachusetts nor New Bedford has sanctuary legislation on the books prohibiting police cooperation with ICE. But a 2017 Supreme Judicial Court ruling declared that police officers in the Commonwealth lack the authority to arrest or hold an individual solely based on an ICE detainer. When asked for comment from New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, city spokesman Jonathan Darling said municipal authorities are waiting to see how the situation evolves. "The City will monitor potential changes in federal policy on immigration and other areas and will continue to advocate for the interests of New Bedford residents and businesses," he said in an email. "Are we going to break up families like [what] happened in the Bianco case? Little kids, US citizens, who expected to see their mother or father after school and that didn't happen. That's devastating and I think there are better ways of dealing with the issue." - State Rep. Antonio Cabral In the reigning confusion and panic following the Bianco raid, families were separated, and many began their journeys through immigration court. State Rep. Antonio Cabral, a Democrat whose district contains New Bedford's South End and portions of the port, said he remembers the moment vividly. "Are we going to break up families like [what] happened in the Bianco case?" he said. "Little kids, US citizens, who expected to see their mother or father after school and that didn't happen. That's devastating and I think there are better ways of dealing with the issue." He did not feel comfortable speaking about possible actions to navigate such a situation in the coming years until it is clear how Trump's mass deportation plan plays out. "At this point, we don't even know what mass deportation means," Cabral said. Corinn Williams said state and local leaders should be exploring how best to support communities now, though she knows it's difficult when so much is uncertain. Still, she hopes they take these concerns seriously since the mere threat of mass deportation is enough to hamper local activities. "There are certain vulnerabilities we have as a community, and many have told us they don't want to even ride the bus or take their kids to school," she said. "People are going to retrench, and it's creating the kind of terror that stops people from circulating in the community and the economy." Police Chief Oliveira told Commonwealth Beacon that the city's police will continue to serve all members of the community, regardless of their immigration status. "I'm going to continue coming and continue to be an advocate for what they do here in our city," he said. "They're a vital piece of our city. I'm proud of that, and I know they're proud of that." "They're a big part of our workforce here in New Bedford," he continued. "[Mass deportation] would definitely take a toll on our city, and that's why I don't even like speculating on it." The Pescando Justicia activist noted that low wages and the struggle for survival mean that many in the community are unaware of the political situation and the chaos he foresees. "They're only thinking of work and getting their daily bread," he said. "They don't stop to think beyond that." He added that the Bianco raid taught the community a lot and gave many firsthand experiences with family separation. Even though he worries about the potential scale of the coming immigration enforcement, the threat is something he's grown accustomed to. "It's not the first time we've faced massive deportations," he said, noting that millions were deported under the Obama administration. We've lived through them before. It's just that no one talked about it then." He said he and his wife, who is also undocumented, have two US citizen children, aged 15 and 17. The family has made contingency plans and spoken about the possibility of their removal. "My family is psychologically prepared as well," he said. "These are things that our community still needs to do." Williams said it looks like the message is starting to hit home and that people are bracing for the worst even amid the daily struggles for survival. "The day after the election a woman called from St. Luke's Hospital," she recalled. "She just had a daughter and wanted to know how to get her passport so she could come with her parents to Guatemala." The best activists say they can do now is to take Trump at his word and prepare their communities for the worst. That's work that Adrian Ventura, CCT's founder and director, takes on every day. "Look at all we have accomplished," Ventura said to a gathering of 350 mostly K"iche" and Spanish speakers in mid-December, trying to strike a hopeful tone. "We're not going to stop fighting just because Trump won." CCT had once again convened a meeting to help immigrants -- many in attendance had obtained deferred action permits, but many more remained undocumented -- navigate the incoming administration. Oliveira again pledged local police support for the community and immigration attorneys went through the list of actions people could take now to protect themselves. But then the talk turned to the Code of Conduct pledge Pescando Justicia began circulating two years ago, asking the fish houses to agree to advise workers of their schedules with 12 hours' notice, give regular breaks, and refrain from using deportation as a threat. CCT organizers along with Justice at Work, a Boston-based non-profit that helps workers in low-wage jobs, were hoping to get the crowd motivated to stand up for their rights and advocate for better working conditions, despite the changing federal landscape. "Who's going to sign the petition?" asked Ventura, who obtained US citizenship earlier this year. Everyone's hand went up. This story is provided as a service of the Institute for Nonprofit News’ On the Ground news wire. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) is a network of more than 475 independent, nonprofit newsrooms serving communities throughout the US, Canada, and globally. On the Ground is a service of INN, which aggregates the best of its members’ elections and political content, and provides it free for republication. Read more about INN here: . Please coordinate with should you want to publish photos for this piece. This content cannot be modified, apart from rewriting the headline. 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Belarus delegation arrives, president due today: Clashes, arrests as PTI convoys enter Punjab One convoy being led by KPK CM Ali Amin Gandapur, along with Bushra Bibi, from Peshawar to Islamabad ISLAMABAD: Amidst clashes with law-enforcers in various cities of the country and arrests of hundreds of party activists, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf convoy, led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI founder’s spouse Bushra Bibi, entered Punjab late Sunday night as it marched on the federal capital. Islamabad was put under a security lockdown ahead of protests by supporters of jailed former premier Imran Khan, who are demanding his release. Highways leading to the capital were blocked and trenches were dug at various points along inter-provincial major roads to prevent the party activists’ march on Islamabad. The Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa border was totally sealed by placing dozens of shipment containers at the Punjab’s entry points. One major convoy was being led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, along with Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, from Peshawar to Islamabad. Sheikh Waqas Akram also confirmed that Bushra Bibi was a part of the PTI protest convoy and she was traveling in a separate vehicle. Additional convoys from other regions are expected to join Gandapur in Swabi after which the combined convoys would head towards Islamabad under Gandapur’s leadership. In Punjab, protest rallies were held in various cities, including Lahore, Multan, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Pakpattan, Faisalabad and other cities. In Lahore, clashes broke out between the PTI workers and police on Lytton Road, resulting in detention of several activists. Among those arrested were Lahore PTI Information Secretary Hafiz Zeeshan, former MPA Nadeem Abbas Bara, Chairman UC Azam Yousuf and Advocate Zameer Ahmed Jhidu. Female workers were also among those detained. However, political analysts believe the PTI Lahore failed to put up any noticeable show on the call of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. The main rally was seen in PP-150, in which a thick attendance of party workers was seen. In the areas of Gulberg, Garden Town, Faisal Town, Johar Town, workers also gathered to chant slogans in favour of Imran Khan. However, in other parts of the city, not much crowd was seen and people mostly preferred to stay indoors to avoid any clash with the police. Near Azad Chowk, a group of PTI workers exchanged heated arguments with Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari. Scores of PTI workers were arrested in Multan and police foiled their attempt to organise a protest at Ghanta Ghar Chowk on Sunday. Police arrested MNA Aamir Dogar from Multan, when he was on his way to Islamabad. Zain Qureshi, MPA Moinuddin Qureshi and Rana Tufail Noon were also taken into custody in Multan. All the PTI leaders were shifted to undisclosed locations. A police official said on Sunday the number of arrests might cross 100 in Multan. A heavy blanket of security descended on Gujrat district as local authorities sealed all major entry and exit points to thwart the PTI march on Islamabad. Key routes connecting Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and neighbouring towns were blocked by placing containers. However, no major arrests were reported, as many workers went underground or joined convoys advancing toward Islamabad. In Gujranwala, the district administration and police sealed the entrance and exit points of the city. Dozens of PTI workers were arrested by the police to foil their attempt to join the protest in Islamabad. Sources said a list of more than 1,500 PTI workers and leaders in Gujranwala and Wazirabad had been prepared for their arrest. In Pakpattan, the police allegedly arrested PTI District President Riaz Arshad Niazi, Chaudhry Naeem, Ibrahim, Raja Talha, Saeed and Murad Bhatti. According to sources in the police, 94 PTI workers had been detained in the district. Under the leadership of Rao Umar Hashim, Tariq Shah Khaga, Mehr Moinuddin Chishti, the departure posts of caravans for Islamabad were also posted on social media. In Faisalabad, the PTI convoys could not leave for Islamabad due to the police action and closure of roads including Motorway Interchange and GT Road. The PTI workers and police came face to face on Sargodha Road, workers pelted the police vans with stones while the police fired tear gas. The police said more than 400 PTI workers were arrested. Meanwhile, a PTI spokesman declared Nov 24 as the dawn of a new era with the shackles of oppression and slavery starting to shatter and the walls of tyranny crumbling. He criticised the government for turning Islamabad into an ‘open prison’, blocking the peaceful protestors from entering the federal capital. He alleged that the ‘illegitimate’ government had unleashed a reign of terror and violated sanctity of four walls to silence the PTI founder chairman’s loyalists. Separately, former speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser said on Sunday the country had been pushed towards anarchy and the situation was getting worse day by day due to the wrong policies of the government. Addressing the PTI workers at the rest area of Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, he said the country was facing many internal and external challenges. He was marching on Islamabad along with the party workers to attend the protest on the call of PTI founder Imran Khan. Also, former president Dr Arif Alvi Sunday accused the federal government of attempting to suppress political dissent by targeting the PTI supporters. Talking to Geo News here, the PTI leader criticised the government for its “crackdown” on the party. “PTI workers from Punjab are being prevented from joining us,” said Alvi, adding that the government was cracking down on PTI supporters. On the other hand, a high-level Belarusian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Maksim Ryazanov, arrived in Islamabad on Sunday, with President Alexander Lukhshenko scheduled to reach the country on Monday (today), according to the Foreign Office. The delegation, comprising 68 members, included eight ministers and 43 business representatives. They were welcomed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Additional Secretary for Foreign Affairs Shafqat Ali Khan and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Belarus, Sajjad Haider Khan. During the visit, President Lukashenko would hold detailed talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields. Multiple agreements and memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed. Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reiterated that those who would be found involved in breaching law, would not be spared and be arrested on the spot. “Strict action will be taken against troublemakers,” Naqvi warned, highlighting the administration’s readiness to handle any disruptions. Talking to the media on Sunday evening, he said that the purpose of PTI was to harm the country’s reputation, which was evident from the fact that when the Belarusian delegation had to pass through the highway, the PTI protesters suddenly appeared on the route and started stone pelting. However, Islamabad and Rawalpindi police foiled their attempt through a joint operation and arrested several protesters. He said that most of the protesters arrested were Afghans. In response to a question, he said the situation in Parachinar was deteriorating, but the provincial government’s first priority was to march towards Islamabad. He said the situation in the whole country was better but only KP was coming to disrupt the country’s peace. Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reached D-Chowk to boost the morale of police, FC and Rangers personnel. He met personnel on duty and commended their high morale. Mohsin Naqvi appreciated the personnel on duty for their dedication to duty and paid tribute to them. He praised the personnel on duty for the safety of citizens lives and property day and night. The minister conducted an aerial inspection of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Attock on Saturday to oversee security arrangements in light of potential political unrest. Following his tour, Naqvi expressed satisfaction with the measures in place, assuring citizens that the government was fully committed to ensuring their safety and maintaining public order. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar Sunday said the PTI leaders were offering voluntary arrests. Talking to the media in Islamabad, he reiterated that the strictest legal action would be taken against those who spread chaos in the capital city. He claimed that many PTI people did not want their leader to come out of jail; similarly, many people contacted the administration and requested for their arrest. Separately, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said once again the PTI wanted to sabotage the country’s development journey through protests. “Courts are the only way out to get the PTI founder released. Pakistan will not be allowed to fall victim to the ego of any one person,” he said while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Sunday. The federal minister made it clear that the government could not release the PTI founder through any administrative order; he would have to file his case in courts for his release. “The PTI founder is not in jail to fulfil any legal requirement but for theft, fraud and sedition,” he added. Also, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Sunday questioned PTI’s repeated calls for strikes, terming them a well-thought-out conspiracy against the country’s prestige. In a press statement, he expressed his regret over PTI’s protest announced for Nov 24 in Islamabad. He said the party announced its protests at a time when important personalities were on a visit to Pakistan. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr Musaddik Malik claimed that the PTI leaders did not want the release of Imran Khan. Speaking at a news conference in Karachi, he alleged KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was trying to attack Punjab and Islamabad. Also, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said the situation in Kurram, Bannu and Bara was sensitive, but unfortunately KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was busy in making preparations to run over the federation. In a statement issued here on Sunday, she said Gandapur should focus on welfare of people, but regrettably he was acting as puppet of Adiala jail’s prisoner. Separately, the PPP said the nation had rejected rioting in the name of PTI’s protest. “PTI has no concern for the lives and property of people,” said PPP Secretary Information Shazia Marri in a statement on Sunday.

US News Today Live Updates: In today’s dynamic landscape, staying updated on the latest developments across the United States is essential. US News delivers the most impactful and current stories from coast to coast, covering a broad spectrum of topics, including politics, economic trends, healthcare, social issues, and cultural shifts. From significant government actions and economic shifts to breakthroughs in technology and the latest social debates, we provide real-time updates and thoughtful analysis to keep you informed. Our goal is to keep you connected to the stories that shape American life, ensuring you’re always in the know on the news that matters. US News Today Live: OTT Alert | The biggest new releases streaming next week in US - The Simpsons, Marvel’s What If...? & moreOur 93 Favorite Comedy Moments of 2024Victoria Police are investigating an incident in the downtown core on Christmas Eve, involving a stolen vehicle that evaded officers before being recovered. Around 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 24, officers received a call from the owners of a stolen vehicle that it had been spotted being driven downtown, Vic PD confirmed in an email to Victoria News. (Video courtesy of Taylor Hixson) Officers located the vehicle and moved into position behind it. However, the driver ran a red light, which caused officers to end their pursuit for public safety reasons. Police located the stolen vehicle again, a few moments later, immobile. In an attempt to prevent the individual from fleeing further, officers executed a manoeuvre which resulted in the stolen vehicle losing one of its tires. Despite the damage, the vehicle managed to flee the scene on three wheels. The pursuit resumed as the stolen vehicle sped down some of Victoria's busiest arteries. Many social media users commented on the event and posted videos of the sighting. “Holy there is a guy driving a three-wheeled 4x4 down Douglas sparks flying with two dozen cops chasing them they almost hit us,” said Facebook user Takuma Valcourt. VicPD confirmed that the stolen vehicle was later recovered, and the investigation remains ongoing.

KUWAIT: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty underscored the importance of strengthening Egypt-Kuwait relations and enhancing regional cooperation during his visit to Kuwait. Discussions focused on bolstering economic and trade partnerships, with Egypt highlighting its ongoing reforms to attract Kuwaiti investments in renewable energy, agriculture and real estate while addressing bureaucratic challenges. At a press conference on Sunday, Abdelatty addressed the critical situation in Gaza and the West Bank, condemning Zionist aggression and expressing Egypt’s unwavering support for Arab countries facing threats. He reiterated Egypt’s efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire, prevent escalation, and secure Palestinian rights, including the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. “I am deeply pleased to be in the brotherly Arab country of Kuwait, with which Egypt shares exceptionally close and solid ties at the leadership, government, and people levels,” Abdelatty stated. This visit marked his first trip to Kuwait as foreign minister. During his stay, he met with HH the Crown Prince, ministers and prominent Kuwaiti investors to explore opportunities in the Egyptian market. “Our discussions focused on enhancing political consultations, expanding economic and trade relations, and strengthening educational and cultural ties. I highlighted Egypt’s ongoing economic reforms and commitment to creating a favorable investment environment. We are proud of the robust Kuwaiti investments in Egypt and aspire to further build on this partnership,” he said. On the political level, Abdelatty engaged in productive discussions on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Topics included the outcomes of the 13th session of the Joint Egyptian-Kuwaiti Higher Committee in Cairo and preparations for the 14th session to be hosted in Kuwait. He also noted Egypt’s readiness to welcome a high-level delegation of Kuwaiti business leaders, building on the success of a previous visit involving over 46 prominent Kuwaiti investors who met with President Al-Sisi. Regarding regional aggression, the minister reaffirmed Egypt’s unwavering support for Arab nations facing threats, particularly from the Zionist entity. He emphasized Al-Sisi’s directive for him to visit Beirut to further efforts in halting these aggressions. “Efforts to halt this aggression continue in coordination with our Arab partners, at the regional level, and through international channels. These efforts will persist until the violence ceases,” he said. Abdelatty concluded by stressing the importance of addressing the root causes of the conflict to achieve stability. “It is essential to halt the (Zionist) aggression in Gaza and Lebanon to prevent further escalation and secure lasting peace in the region. I am grateful for the opportunity to visit Kuwait and reaffirm the strength of our partnership.”Moderna's MRNA short percent of float has risen 3.25% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 34.38 million shares sold short , which is 11.75% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 7.68 days to cover their short positions on average. Why Short Interest Matters Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. Short selling is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises. Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish. See Also: List of the most shorted stocks Moderna Short Interest Graph (3 Months) As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Moderna has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted. Comparing Moderna's Short Interest Against Its Peers Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis. According to Benzinga Pro , Moderna's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 4.72%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers. Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

BEIJING , Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc. (NASDAQ: WiMi) ("WiMi" or the "Company"), a leading global Hologram Augmented Reality ("AR") Technology provider, today announced the development of a Quantum Technology-Based Random Access Memory Architecture, known as QRAM. This architecture successfully implements fundamental logical operations such as AND, OR, NOT, and NOR gates in quantum logic gates by combining key basic operations in quantum computing, such as the CNOT gate, V gate, and V+ gate. Quantum Random Access Memory (QRAM) is a memory architecture specifically designed for quantum computing environments, with the core goal of enabling efficient reading and writing of information while maintaining the state of the quantum system. The design of QRAM is not only intended to leverage the parallel processing capabilities of quantum computing but also to utilize quantum properties such as superposition and entanglement to significantly enhance computational efficiency. In WiMi's QRAM architecture, the quantum CNOT gate, V gate, and V+ gate serve as the fundamental operation units. Each quantum operation is equivalent to certain logical operations in classical computing, but simultaneously leverages the properties of quantum states to achieve efficient computation. CNOT Gate (Controlled-NOT Gate): The CNOT gate is a crucial operation in quantum computing, used to control the relationship between two quantum bits (qubits). In classical computing, this is similar to the function of an XOR gate, but in the quantum environment, it allows qubits to exist in a superposition of states, enabling the simultaneous processing of multiple states. V Gate and V+ Gate: The V gate and V+ gate are quantum gates used to implement more complex logic. The operations of these two gates are similar to the AND and OR gates in classical computing. However, their advantage lies in the ability to process multiple potential outcomes in the quantum system simultaneously, without the need to evaluate each possibility separately. By combining these fundamental quantum gates, basic operations in quantum logic such as AND, OR, NOT, and NOR can be successfully implemented. This provides the necessary support for designing complex quantum circuits, while being more flexible and efficient compared to classical logic gates. One of the major advantages of the QRAM architecture is its full utilization of the properties of quantum superposition and quantum entanglement. In classical computing, memory read and write operations are linear and must be performed sequentially. However, in quantum computing, because qubits can exist in multiple states (superposition), parallel read and write operations can be performed simultaneously. This ability significantly enhances computational efficiency, especially when handling large-scale datasets or complex computational tasks. Additionally, quantum entanglement enables the correlation between multiple qubits without the need for direct communication, further improving the speed of data transfer and computation. Memory operations with entangled qubits are much faster and more efficient than traditional memory operations, opening up new possibilities for parallel computing. In WiMi's QRAM architecture, the entire design logic includes several key steps and technical nodes, such as quantum state-based random access, the introduction of quantum error correction mechanisms, and seamless integration with quantum computers. The core feature of QRAM is its ability to perform random access within a quantum system. Traditional computer RAM achieves reading and writing to memory units through address buses, data buses, and other components, whereas QRAM accomplishes this process through the states of quantum bits (qubits). By utilizing quantum superposition, multiple addresses can be accessed simultaneously in a single operation. This means that in a QRAM system, data can be accessed in parallel across multiple addresses, greatly improving the efficiency of data operations. To achieve this, WiMi has designed a system based on CNOT gates, V gates, and V+ gates. These quantum gates allow flexible control over memory access processes while maintaining the quantum state of the system and ensuring the efficient transmission of qubits in an entangled state. Through this system, QRAM not only enables high-speed data reading and writing, but also ensures the reliability and accuracy of information processing. Furthermore, error correction is crucial in any quantum computing system. Due to the fragile nature of qubit states, even small external disturbances can cause computational errors. Therefore, WiMi's QRAM architecture incorporates a quantum error correction mechanism to ensure that the qubit states are accurately preserved and transmitted during data reading and writing. This includes an error correction method based on quantum entanglement, where redundant entangled qubits are introduced to detect and correct potential errors. This method not only effectively reduces the impact of external noise on the system but also ensures the stability of data during multiple read operations. WiMi's QRAM design is intended to seamlessly integrate with quantum computers. Since quantum computing operations depend on the superposition and entanglement states of qubits, the QRAM system demonstrates high compatibility when interfacing with a quantum processing unit (QPU). The design ensures smooth transmission of qubits between memory and processor during data access, thereby significantly improving computational efficiency. By utilizing the V gate, V+ gate, and CNOT gate, WiMi's QRAM system can quickly execute quantum logic operations and, when handling complex computational tasks, can read and write data at near-real-time speeds. This makes QRAM a key component in large-scale quantum computing applications. The successful development of QRAM technology has had a revolutionary impact across multiple fields. As a critical component of quantum computers, QRAM will significantly enhance the overall performance of quantum computing systems. Its efficient parallel data access capabilities make it especially well-suited for handling large-scale computational tasks such as molecular simulations, climate modeling, and complex optimization problems. By significantly reducing computation time, QRAM will play an indispensable role in the future of high-performance quantum computing. Another important application of QRAM is in quantum communication and quantum encryption. By leveraging quantum entanglement, QRAM can enable high-speed data transmission while ensuring data security. The non-locality of quantum entanglement guarantees that data cannot be intercepted during transmission, providing a solid foundation for future quantum encryption technologies. With the development of quantum computing, the field of quantum machine learning has also gradually emerged. QRAM's efficient data access capabilities make it highly suitable for handling large-scale datasets, enabling model training to be completed in a shorter time. This will significantly advance the development of quantum artificial intelligence, allowing complex machine learning tasks to be solved quickly on quantum computers. As quantum technology continues to evolve, QRAM, as a core technology, will provide crucial support for the future of quantum computing. WiMi is committed to continuing the development of QRAM technology, continually optimizing its performance, reducing implementation costs, and expanding its applications across various industries. The successful development of QRAM technology marks an important step in the advancement of quantum computing. As quantum computers progress and quantum technologies mature, QRAM will become an indispensable core component of quantum computing systems. With the ongoing optimization and promotion of this technology, QRAM is expected to bring disruptive innovations across multiple fields and lay a solid foundation for the arrival of the quantum era. About WiMi Hologram Cloud WiMi Hologram Cloud, Inc. (NASDAQ:WiMi) is a holographic cloud comprehensive technical solution provider that focuses on professional areas including holographic AR automotive HUD software, 3D holographic pulse LiDAR, head-mounted light field holographic equipment, holographic semiconductor, holographic cloud software, holographic car navigation and others. Its services and holographic AR technologies include holographic AR automotive application, 3D holographic pulse LiDAR technology, holographic vision semiconductor technology, holographic software development, holographic AR advertising technology, holographic AR entertainment technology, holographic ARSDK payment, interactive holographic communication and other holographic AR technologies. Safe Harbor Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this press release and the Company's strategic and operational plans contain forward−looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the US Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases, and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Several factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition, and results of operations; the expected growth of the AR holographic industry; and the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and the current report on Form 6-K and other documents filed with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as required under applicable laws. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wimi-develops-a-quantum-technology-based-random-access-memory-architecture-302339317.html SOURCE WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc.Actress Sonakshi Sinha and Karishma Tanna are enjoying the Boxing Day test match between India and Australia in Melbourne. The actress was seen among the humongous crowd of fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday. Sonakshi took to the Stories section of her Instagram and shared several videos of herself in which she could be seen cheering for team India. One of the videos posted by the actress also shows her husband Zaheer Iqbal playing cricket with the kids on the ground during the break. ‘ Will Not Be Repeated’: Mukesh Khanna Reacts After Sonakshi Sinha Slams Him for Questioning Her Upbringing Over Ramayana Knowledge . Karishma Tanna also shared pictures from the venue along with her husband Varun Bangera. In one of the pictures, posted by the actress on her feed, she can be seen holding the Indian tri-colour. India and Australia are locking horns in the Boxing Day test which started on Thursday. The game, 4th in this series, is extremely crucial as it will decide the winner of the Border–Gavaskar Trophy as the series is currently tied at 1-1. While India won the first test match making a stellar comeback, Australia, who have been crowned the World Champions in cricket for most number of time, changed gears in the second test, and defeated India. The third test was washed out by the rains, and was declared a draw as India avoided the follow-on. ‘Ek Video Bhi Nahi Lene Dega’: Zaheer Iqbal’s Beach Prank on Wife Sonakshi Sinha During Australian Vacation Goes Viral – WATCH . With Australia at 300 for 6 wickets (at the time of filing this report), the match seems to be in favour of Australia so far as India hasn’t been able to put up a fighting score at the wickets in this series except for the first test match. However, team India’s legendary bowler Jasprit Bumrah managed to get some crucial wickets including the early breakthrough of Travis Head. Travis, who has been troubling India in this series, was made to walk out on a duck by Bumrah in the first innings of the match on Thursday. 4 batsmen from Australia, Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith have scored half centuries in the match, making their team sit at a comfortable position. Team India’s batsmen face a monumental task of chasing, particularly because the batting department of the team, despite being the deepest batting line-up in the world, has been an area of concern for the team. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 26, 2024 10:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).

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A study of hot spots for collisions between ships and whales around the world, including Canadian waters, offers a map for measures to prevent the deadly strikes that could drive some species to extinction, one of the British Columbia-based authors says. Chloe Robinson said reported strikes represent a fraction of their true extent, and a lack of protection measures leaves whales vulnerable as global shipping expands. The study found shipping takes place across 92 per cent of the ranges for humpback, blue, fin and sperm whales worldwide, but measures to reduce vessel strikes have been implemented in less than seven per cent of high-risk areas. “That could really spell, you know, potential extinction for some of these species,” said Robinson, director of whales for Ocean Wise, a B.C.-based organization that provided data for the paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science. “A recent study estimated anything up to 20,000 whales are killed a year through ship strikes, globally, and that’s just an estimate, a best-case estimate.” Robinson said she was surprised to see Swiftsure Bank, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, emerge as a risk hot spot for strikes of fin, blue and humpback whales. The area is a “migration highway” for humpbacks, she noted. The study also identified a hot spot for the same three species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence between Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. “This is something that Ocean Wise has been looking into because a lot of the management measures occur offshore and not sort of within the Gulf of St. Lawrence itself and even the St. Lawrence Seaway, (which) leads down to the Great Lakes,” she said. “That was a huge hot spot, which was really interesting for me.” Robinson said there have been smaller studies on the risk of ship strikes in different regions, but the study published Thursday is the first to map the distribution of the four whale species, using a variety of data sources, then compare it with the Automatic Identification System, a tool used for tracking vessels worldwide. “This was really the first of its kind to map these two on top of each other,” she said. The researchers found the highest levels of risk in the Indian, western North Pacific and Mediterranean, while it also identified high-risk areas in the eastern North Pacific, North and South Atlantic Ocean along with the South China Sea. The Southern Ocean was the only region that did not contain any ship-strike hot spots due to low levels of shipping, despite high use by whales, the study found. Robinson said the findings support a strong case for maritime authorities to adopt measures such as whale alert systems, speed limits and no-go zones. “We know where there are areas where there are lots of whales and lots of ships, so this is where we need to target for management,” she said in an interview. Robinson said Canada is home to many “eyes on the water” and researchers exploring innovative techniques for monitoring whales. But the country lacks mandatory mitigation measures, and it’s not alone. “Next to none of the measures globally are mandatory. So, having voluntary measures (is) great, provided people comply,” Robinson said. Ocean Wise launched an alert system in 2018 that notifies large vessels of the presence of whales in Pacific Northwest waters, and Robinson said about 80 per cent of mariners from Washington state up to Alaska have signed up. The WhaleReport alert system mainly functions in what she describes as “inshore” waters around busy ports in Seattle, Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The Port of Vancouver has also seen a high rate of compliance for its ECHO program, Robinson noted. The program encourages vessels to take voluntary steps, such as slowing down or staying farther away from whales, in order to reduce underwater noise and the potential for strikes in busy shipping areas. Robinson favours a multi-pronged approach to reducing ship strikes, but she said one single measure she believes could have a big impact would be equipping vessels with an infrared camera to detect whales within several kilometres. “Maybe some mariners ... respond better to knowing there 100 per cent is a whale 200 metres in front of your vessel, versus, ‘slow down, there might be a whale here.'” Robinson said such cameras can cost between US$50,000 and $75,000. But the cost was a “drop in the bucket” of major companies’ profits, she said. The cameras also present a public-relations opportunity for businesses to advertise themselves as operating in a more whale-friendly manner, Robinson said. “I know people who have had to go and have therapy after killing a humpback whilst at the helm,” she added. “I think there’s a lot to be said (for) the long-term benefits of this kind of technology.” The study also found areas with lower traffic that could provide refuge for whales, especially with added protections. It shows the Arctic Ocean, for example, has very few high-risk areas for vessel strikes, and Robinson said some researchers view it as potential sanctuary. But without protections, Robinson said Arctic waters could become the next high-risk hot spot as sea ice melts with climate change, opening up shipping routes. “Knowing the plans to expand shipping routes into these areas to cut shipping time, make things faster, right through prime whale habitat, I think this is a really good opportunity to get ahead of the issue before it becomes an issue,” she said. Whales play crucial roles in their ecosystems, including cycling nutrients that support other species, and they’re a boon for tourism, Robinson said. They’re also “magical” creatures that people feel connected to, she said, and they remain vulnerable after many species were hunted to the brink of extinction. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

Russia says US using Taiwan to stir crisis in Asia MOSCOW: The United States is using Taiwan to provoke a serious crisis in Asia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told TASS news agency in remarks published on Sunday, reiterating Moscow’s backing of China’s stance on Taiwan. “We see that Washington, in violation of the ‘one China’ principle that it recognises, is strengthening military-political contacts with Taipei under the slogan of maintaining the ‘status quo’, and increasing arms supplies,” Rudenko told the state news agency. “The goal of such obvious US interference in the region’s affairs is to provoke the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and generate a crisis in Asia to suit its own selfish interests.” The report did not cite any specific contacts that Rudenko was referring to. The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition. The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rudenko’s remarks outside office hours. In September, President Joe Biden approved $567 million in military support for Taiwan. Russia responded that it was standing alongside China on Asian issues, including criticism of the US drive to extend its influence and “deliberate attempts” to inflame the situation around Taiwan.

New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Belagavi, Karnataka, began on a controversial note with the BJP alleging that the Congress put up a welcome banner with a ‘distorted’ map of India showing parts of Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi held a press conference Thursday condemning the Congress for presenting a ‘distorted’ map of India. He said ‘Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’ and ‘Aksai Chin’ were missing from the map. “Today the entire nation is celebrating ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ on the sacred occasion of the sacrifice of Guru Gobind Singh ji’s Sahibzaades but another troubling image has surfaced that during a Congress event in Belagavi, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Aksai Chin were missing from the map of India in posters put up by the Congress party,” Trivedi said. “Shockingly, this map was shown alongside a photo of Mahatma Gandhi,” he said during a press conference held at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. The BJP’s claims came after its Karnataka unit posted on ‘X’ pictures of a banner and a welcome flex allegedly put up by the Congress in Karnataka ahead of the CWC meeting. The Congress is in power in the state. “@INCKarnataka, has shown utter disrespect for India’s sovereignty by displaying a distorted map at their Belagavi event, portraying Kashmir as part of Pakistan. All this just to appease their vote bank. This is shameful. #CongressInsultsIndia #JammuAndKashmir,” Karnataka BJP wrote. Trivedi questioned the Congress, and asked whether “any internal discussion had taken place in Belagavi about dividing India in some way”. He alleged that this was not the first time the Congress used a ‘distorted’ map of India. “Why has Congress, in its posts on Twitter repeatedly depicted India with parts of its territory missing over the years,” he asked. “Congress’s women’s wing, too, once posted a similar map showing the same omissions. Is this mere coincidence, or part of a deliberate anti-India agenda? Who is orchestrating this repeated misrepresentation of India’s map by Congress? Is this being done under instructions from external anti-India forces, like a signal from Soros secret service, or other foreign entities across the seas,” Trivedi alleged. BJP had during the recently-concluded Winter Session of Parliament stepped up its attack on the Congress, accusing the party of acting at the behest of US-based billionaire George Soros. On Thursday, BJP’s Amit Malviya took to X to allege that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, as “co-president of the George Soros funded Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) Foundation, which advocates Kashmiri Independence, is not a coincidence, but a firm belief of the Congress...”. “At its Belagavi event, the Congress has put up a distorted map of India on all its hoardings, along with pictures of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, among others, showing Kashmir as part of Pakistan. It can’t be a mistake. It is a statement. It is part of their appeasement politics, which believes Indian Muslims are more loyal to Pakistan than India...The Congress is the New Muslim League. It wants to break India, again,” Malviya claimed. Reacting to it, Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar told the media, “BJP is there to attack us, they can’t digest ... there is no medicine for jealousy ... let them do what they want, we will do whatever we want.” (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: Accused of land-grabbing, gangrape, torture, BJP’s Bilsi MLA Harish Shakya is in the eye of a storm var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );