90+jili

90+jili Cracks emerge in Trump's MAGA coalitionA DUP minister rebuffed a suggestion that there could be an extension of pub opening hours in Northern Ireland to celebrate the golden jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, declassified files show. Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”After Hunter, Joe Biden is discussing pre-emptive pardons for several current and ex-public officials who Trump can target; here are the names on the listNo. 23 Texas A&M aims to hand Oregon first loss at Players Era

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Must protect our aquifer If you are reading this letter, there’s a fair chance you live in one of the 14 counties that get their water from the Mahomet Aquifer. Recently, a measure was held up by the Senate Executive Committee in Springfield that would have banned the injection of carbon dioxide through or storage of it under our aquifer. The ban is needed to protect our water supply from heavy-metal contamination, acidification and salinization if stored CO2 were to leak. Several corporations are poised to inject CO2 right through the Mahomet Aquifer for the purpose of storing it deep underground because they stand to gain substantial tax credits/rebates by doing so. But the aquifer was designated as a sole-source aquifer by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2015. That means it supplies over 50 percent of the area’s drinking water and there are no other alternative drinking-water sources. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees that this technology won’t fail and contaminate our water supply. As proof of the threat, this year, two leaks occurred at Archer Daniels Midland’s sequestration monitoring wells in Decatur. This is all the warning we need. Please contact state Sen. Paul Faraci, D-Champaign, and state Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana. Thank them for sponsoring the bill to keep the Mahomet Aquifer safe and urge them to keep fighting for a ban on carbon sequestration to keep our water safe. Talk to your friends and neighbors and make them aware of the threat. Add your voice in opposition to the proposals that threaten public health in our area. CHRISTINE MAIN ChampaignCracks emerge in Trump's MAGA coalition

Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada has undertaken three prestigious projects to create an atmosphere conducive to research and innovation. Firstly, a drone purchased at a cost of Rs.10 lakh will be deployed in the air for an hour every day. Its cameras will scan every nook and corner to detect anti-social activities, if any, on the campus. JNTUK vice chancellor-incharge, Muralikrishna said that the drone flight service will detect those who openly drink alcohol, use cigarettes or do any other anti-social activity. Besides, a drone manufacturing organisation will send its personnel to teach the students how drones are manufactured and deployed. Secondly, a Humanoid will be deployed on the University campus to greet visitors with a Hello. It would perform simple tasks like picking garbage and providing drinking water to the visitors. It will be bought for Rs.10 lakh and such equipment would also be manufactured at the university. A third project is for generation of ‘Wealth from Waste’. For the past four decades, four rooms of the electrical department have been filled with electrical waste. The University would set up a museum on the campus for these outdated products.US sanctions founder of Georgia’s ruling political party

After Hunter, Joe Biden is discussing pre-emptive pardons for several current and ex-public officials who Trump can target; here are the names on the list

Bomb threats target Trump nominees, FBI saysMinutes of an Executive meeting from June of that year state further action would be considered “as appropriate” if the DUP went ahead with a threat to rotate its ministers. The minutes are within files which have been declassified at the Public Record Office in Belfast. Devolved powersharing had been restored to Northern Ireland in May 2000 when Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble had received the backing of his party to go back into the Assembly, despite there having been no decommissioning of IRA arms at that point. Then DUP deputy leader Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds took up the offices as ministers for regional development and social development, but refused to attend Executive meetings due to the presence of Sinn Fein ministers. The party also said it would rotate its ministerial posts to prevent other parties from taking them. A minute of an Executive meeting on June 8 said Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds had refused a request from First Minister Mr Trimble and deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon to meet with them “to discuss recent public comments by the DUP concerning their positions as ministers”. The minute records that the Executive endorsed a proposal from the First and deputy First Ministers to write again to the two DUP ministers setting out sanctions against them. It says: “The First Minister and and Deputy First Minister would assume responsibility for representing the Executive Committee on transport matters at the British-Irish Council in place of the Minister for Regional Development. “The Minister for Social Development and the Minister for Regional Development would not be nominated to attend meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee. “Pending the receipt of satisfactory assurances from DUP Ministers regarding the confidentiality and integrity of Executive Committee business, the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would not receive Executive Committee papers as of right. “The First Minister and Deputy First Minister would seek briefing, as appropriate, from officials in the Department for Regional Development and Department for Social Development.” The minute continues: “If the DUP carried out their threat to change the holders of the two Ministerial offices on a frequent basis, the Executive Committee would consider other action as appropriate.” Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds resigned as ministers on June 27 and were replaced by party colleagues Gregory Campbell and Maurice Morrow. A minute from an Executive meeting that day says: “The Executive Committee noted that the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would be resigning their posts that afternoon, and expressed concern at the proposed rotation of the ministries held by their Party Members.”

Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”For the past 17 years Alison and Mike Battle have mastered what the perfect should look like. One where children can lose themselves in their imagination and connect with values that really matter. It is a return to a pre-1930s Christmas, before Coca Cola took over. The south London couple founded Lapland UK in 2007, inspired by their own experiences of raising four boys and trying to retain their childlike wonder. That each year tickets sell-out in March, earning the event, held in a forest near Ascot, the reputation for being the Glastonbury for children, shows that they’ve tapped into something that all parents desire. “This is something extremely important,” explains Mike. “For children who believe and for their parents, we feel a responsibility to get this right.” It was a duty they felt with their own four boys, now grown up; Michael, a screenwriter, is 31, Matt, 29 works at Lapland UK and twins Christian, who also works with his parents and Joseph, a solicitor, are 26. Alison created a sense of wonder in the boys, but they struggled to find it outside the home. “We would go to a garden centre to visit Father Christmas and it wouldn’t live up to it,” says Matt. “He wouldn’t know any information about us.” Mike recalls queuing up at Harrods for hours, only for Alison to start twitching as they neared the front of the queue. “She started scribbling bits of information about the children on pieces of paper and trying to sneak them to the elves. They were a bit confused, although some got it.” Today, Alison still is the eyes and voice of the children, tapping into what they will find believable, while Mike makes her vision happen for tens of thousands of children each year. Here are the Battle’s tips for creating a truly magical Christmas for you and your family: The Christmas that inspires the Battle family is one filled with nature and old traditions: “A time from before the 1930s when we got Santa and commercialisation,” says Alison. “For us it’s all about the charm and the dream of Christmas.” They prefer the name “Father Christmas” and the storytelling is inspired by northern Europe. As a young woman Alison studied in Heidelberg in Germany and so she has a love of all things Grimm. “We come at it with a European flavour. We’re not about the candy cane Santa; we’re not American at all. That old world charm is something that people can recreate in their own homes.” They want people to move away from “Santa stops here” signs and go back to nature more. It is the way they have built Lapland UK too, sourcing Latvian log cabins 18 years ago that they still use. Mike and Alison scour antique fairs across Europe looking for props; everything from copper pans for Mother Christmas’s kitchen, stained glass windows, old suitcases and chairs, lanterns and globes. “There’s a big warehouse we go to in Frankfurt, where we source things like original sleighs. It’s a lot of fun,” says Mike. There are also leather bound books on old dressers. Alison thanks her own Mother for giving her the perspective that you should treasure old things. “She’s always had a huge passion for children and childhood. For her 40th birthday, for example, I clearly remember she requested a set of leather bound .” Details like stenciling on dressers and cupboards evoke the feeling of a Scandinavian Christmas, as do frames of pressed leaves and botanical drawings. Boughs of brown ferns and crimson leaves hang from the ceilings throughout Lapland UK. Look closely, however, and they are all actually high-quality faux foliage, made from plastic. For a production on Lapland UK’s scale it is the most dependable and sustainable way to decorate. “It’s sustainable because everything you see was here last year,” says Mike. He sought inspiration from how the Victorians would bring in nature to decorate their fireplaces and front doors. It is also linked to ancient indigenous practices, such as collecting mistletoe to bring luck. In this world, the elves are celebrating nature, not tinsel. The foundation of the Battle Christmas canvas is the palette; the colours they use create their world of Christmas. “It’s about making sure that nothing imposes and everything makes sense. You soon notice something if it doesn’t fit,” says Christian. “If there’s a bright yellow or green thing, then your attention would be taken there and the whole set breaks.” The perfect Lapland UK red is not a bright red, but a burgundy red. The basis for their muted colour board is that all the colours must look like they are derived from nature. “Anything that feels manufactured is rejected,” says Mike. When they were designing the toy factory the inspiration was real sawdust and rocking horses, rather than primary colours and clowns with googly eyes. What is the perfect Christmas green? “A sage. Not that far from Farrow and Ball, really,” laughs Mike. Silver and gold aren’t banned, but the tone and amount of it is to be considered. “If you have a hint of gold and silver, that’s fun. If you have all of it, that’s nuts,” says Mike. “It’s about elegance and balance. We want everything to be holistic, rather than shouty.” As you can imagine, this is a big moment in the Battle household; at home they have an 8ft tree. However, how it looks isn’t as important as how it feels. “It is a filled with memories,” says Christian. Rather than worrying too much about a matching bauble, every single decoration on the has to have a story. Something bought on holiday or made by the boys in primary school. After Matt played the Angel Gabriel in the school nativity they found an Angel Gabriel decoration. The family also love the of drying oranges and limes and putting them on the tree. “It’s sensory,” says Mike. There is no tinsel in the Battle household. Although in Alison’s family home there is one piece of tinsel. “It’s now 50 years old and my sister and I put it on the tree, even though it’s completely threadbare.” May your Christmas be warm and bright. Certainly your , anyway. When it comes to creating a warm and cosy atmosphere, Mike seeks inspiration from Salzburg. He remembers a trip to the Austrian town in December when everywhere was snowy. “And there were coffee shops lining the streets that were all glowing and warm. Every single one of them was so inviting and it was just beautiful.” He tries to make the same effect at Lapland UK by bringing the lighting down. “The amount of time I say ‘warm lighting’ during the building process!” he laughs. Old-fashioned filament bulbs are key to creating the Battle’s warm nostalgic dream of Christmas. “I don’t like the blue icicle lighting you see,” says Alison. Stir-up Sunday is another one of the rituals the family performs without fail each year. “We’d make our Christmas cake every year and one by one we had to ‘stir in the love’ and make a wish as you did it,” says Christian. “Making a Christmas cake one year isn’t that special, but the fact we’ve done it for nearly 30 years makes it feel different,” says Matt. As adults they now appreciate the ritualisation of their Christmas. “The things we did weren’t crazily unique, but by doing them every year it gave them significance, which made them more important each year,” says Matt. The Lapland UK Foundation aims to eventually put a stocking on the bed of every child in a UK hospital or hospice over Christmas. This year they are starting with Lewisham Hospital and Evelina Children’s Hospital. In the Battle household you are never too old for a stocking. Although now Alison usually has to wait for them to come back from the pub. “I still sneak in at 3 o’clock in the morning.” “You just have to let her do it,” says Mike. Alison does see the funny side of having never quite punctured the magic of Christmas for her sons, even if they are now well into adulthood. About three years ago, she remembers one of them running into our bedroom and saying: “Look what is in my stocking!” “I was like, ‘I know!” laughs Alison. Christmas is about creating a feeling, not about material things that you get on Christmas morning. The family feels strongly about that. It recalls the Christmases of Mike and Alison’s childhoods in the 1970s, growing up in working class families in south London. “They were very grounded, loving families,” says Alison. Her father was a carpenter and would make wooden gifts for her and her sister. As the youngest of five children from a migrant Irish family, Mike’s memories aren’t of things, but of an energy in the house. “I’d come down the stairs and feel that there was something special going on; that it was an unusual day,” he recalls. On Christmas Eve in Mike’s home, his father would have a half-day, “which was unusual. We used to all go to Littlewoods on Bromley High Street and have something to eat and that was great. Not because it was fancy, but because it was something unusual for us.” The essence of Christmas for him now? “Being at home and having all six of us together,” he says.Brett Yormark has an issue with College Football Playoff selection committee. And while it might be just nit-picking at this point, his case points up how an expanded playoff hasn't necessarily lessened the outcry. The Big 12 commissioner spoke to CBS Sports this week about his concern that his highest-ranked team, BYU (No. 14 in the CFP Rankings), is one spot behind a team it beat earlier in the season, No. 13 SMU . That goes back to the old transitive property of poll voting that basically posits "If Team A beat Team B, it must be ranked ahead of Team B." Not this week. Despite an 18-15 BYU win at SMU on Sept. 6, the Mustangs are one spot ahead of the Cougars. Complicating things is Boise State being No. 12. If the CFP started tomorrow, the Broncos would have a first-round bye ahead of the Big 12 champion. "A little puzzled," Yormark said Thursday. "If the metrics are all about strength of schedule and body of work and head-to-head, I don't see some of the consistencies that should be. "BYU being below a team they beat earlier in the year, on the road, with identical records is a little surprising to me," he said. Three other Big 12 teams are ranked in that top 25 this week: No. 16 Colorado , No. 21 Arizona State and No. 22 Iowa State . The Sun Devils debuted this week after upsetting Kansas State ; the Wildcats dropped out. "Having Colorado No. 16 when they've won seven of eight. In this new world of the transfer portal, those preseason polls don't mean much because of the turnover and roster management," Yormark continued. "You don't know what you really have until you get a few weeks into the season ... It's certainly playing out at Colorado. It's certainly playing out with Arizona State and their momentum." Both teams are 8-2, among 18 teams in the Power Four with at least that many wins. BYU has played two teams that were in the rankings at one time (SMU and Kansas State). It will play a third Saturday at Arizona State. SMU will end the regular season having played only two ranked teams (BYU and Louisville ). Boise's best "win" might be a loss, a narrow 34-27 decision at the hands of No. 1 Oregon on Sept 7. The Broncos outgained the Ducks that day. According to several metrics, BYU seems to have the most difficult schedule of the three. But when it lost, that meant every team in the Big 12 had lost at least one game. Only the Big Ten has any undefeated conference teams left (Oregon and Indiana ). While all of this may seem like typical campaigning, it's rare for a Power Four commissioner to enter the discussion. But the stakes have risen. The makeup of the 12-team playoff has created a new kind of flashpoint. The top four ranked conference champions on Dec. 8 will receive first-round byes. The next highest-ranked conference champion will be guaranteed a spot in the field as well. Right now, those five conference champions would be Oregon, Texas , Miami , Boise State and BYU. Because it is currently behind Boise, BYU would be playing a first-round game. The SEC and Big Ten are expected to load the field with up to four teams each. The ACC and Big 12 are each hoping for a second team in the field. If No. 6 Notre Dame , 9-1, qualifies, it would take a spot as well. "If we keep winning, we'll certainly be in the conversation for [a second spot]," Yormark said. "Don't look at the logo on the helmet, look at the résumé," he added. "I'll continue to use that line. Maybe I'll even trademark it." Earlier this year, the SEC and Big Ten lobbied for automatic qualifier spots beginning in 2026. That idea died but is expected to be brought up again after the season when the commissioners take up the subject. "I said so publicly, you don't want an artificial championship," Yormark said, providing a preview of those discussions. "I think you have to earn your way in. No free passes." What rankled the commissioner is BYU dropping six spots from No. 8 to No. 14 after a four-point loss at home to Kansas . That was the largest drop of any team in this week's rankings. Kansas State dropped out after being ranked 16th. CBS Sports was able to obtain exclusively a portion of the strength of schedule information used by the committee. The Big 12 is tied with the SEC for most wins against teams with records above .500 with 36 each. Here are those standings for the remainder of FBS ... 3. ACC (35) 4. Big Ten (32) 5 . Sun Belt (24) 6. MAC (18) 7. American (11) 8. Conference USA (10) 9. Mountain West (8) 10. Independents (7) 11. Pac-12 ( Oregon State , Washington State , 4) That information comes from SportsSource analytics, an industry-leading firm out of Atlanta and favored by the CFP. SportsSource recently expanded to player evaluation and recruiting information. Its database is so vast that athletic directors use the company's research to evaluate coaching candidates. Its information is not available to the public. Its "football data services" range from $12,500 to $50,000 for a subscription. "They all have limitations," SportsSource co-founder Drew Borland said of strength of schedule components. "I've probably researched 30 of them in-depth. As much as they are models and mathematical, there is a fair amount of subjectivity you have to put in building the model." The Big 12 has pointed out that the Mountain West is eighth among the nine FBS conferences in schedule strength calculated by the NCAA. The MWC's opponents have a combined .489 winning percentage. The Big 12 is second behind the SEC with a .582 winning percentage. The Big 12 continues to make its case. Committee members Gary Pinkel, the former Missouri coach, and journalist Kelly Whiteside have been assigned to evaluate Big 12 games and report back to the committee as a whole. Each FBS conference is assigned committee members who track its play during the season. It was a day of commissioners weighing in. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey posted on Twitter a graphic that showed six of his teams leading the country, all in the top 33 schedule strength. The next highest-ranked team? BYU.Several members of Donald Trump's incoming US administration have received threats including bomb alerts, the FBI said Wednesday, with one nominee reporting a pipe-bomb scare sent with a pro-Palestinian message. The President-elect's picks for UN ambassador and head of the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as his former choice to be US attorney general, said they were among those who had received the threats. "The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners," the agency said in a statement. Swatting refers to a practice in which police are summoned urgently to someone's house under false pretenses. Such hoax calls are common in the United States and have seen numerous senior political figures targeted in recent years. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump's transition team, said that several appointees and nominees "were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them." Outgoing President Joe Biden "has been briefed" on the threats, the White House said. "The White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and the President-elect’s team, and continues to monitor the situation closely," a spokesperson said in a statement. "The president and the administration unequivocally condemn threats of political violence." Biden has vowed a smooth and peaceful presidential transition -- in contrast to when Trump riled a mob that attacked the US Capitol in January 2021 with false claims of election fraud. Elise Stefanik, a Trump loyalist congresswoman tapped to be UN ambassador, said her residence in New York was targeted in a bomb threat. She said in a statement that she, her husband, and small son were driving home from Washington for the Thanksgiving holiday when they learned of the threat. Lee Zeldin, Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said his home was targeted with a pipe bomb threat sent with a "pro-Palestinian themed message." The former congressman from New York said he and his family were not home at the time. Matt Gaetz, who dropped out as Trump's pick to be attorney general after facing opposition over sexual misconduct allegations, reposted Zeldin's message on X and said: "Same." Scott Turner, the nomine for Housing Secretary and a retired NFL player, and Trump's pick for Labor Secretary, meanwhile also said they had also received bomb threats at their homes. Fox News Digital quoted unidentified sources saying that John Ratcliffe, Trump's nominee to head the CIA, and Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary pick, were additionally targeted. Ahead of his return to the White House in January, Trump has already swiftly assembled a cabinet of loyalists, including several criticized for a severe lack of experience. The Republican, who appears set to avoid trial on criminal prosecutions related to attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss, was wounded in the ear in July in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally. The shooter was killed in counter-fire. In September, authorities arrested another man accused of planning to shoot at Trump while he played golf at his course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Leavitt appeared to reference the previous incidents, saying that "with President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us." bur-dk/sms

Democrat Bob Casey concedes Pennsylvania Senate race to Dave McCormickFamily of missing woman says Venmo payments to mystery duo are being probedA 27-year-old Chicago man faces felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly taking part in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested Thursday and charged with a felony count of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and four misdemeanor offenses: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. He was released pending trial, according to court documents. Gorski joins more than 50 other Illinois residents charged in relation to the insurrection, according to prosecutors with the Northern District Court of Illinois. Gorski attended the “Stop the Steal” rally before marching toward the Capitol building with others, prosecutors said. Wearing a “Make America Great Again” hoodie and hat, he climbed a wall onto the northwest stairs, taking selfies and helping other rioters remove tarps from the inaugural scaffolding and passing a bike rack to others in the mob. The group broke the police line while Gorski allegedly shouted “This is our house” and “Let us in,” before he made his way to the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, prosecutors said. He is then alleged to have entered again near the Senate Wing door at 3:14 p.m. before trying to re-enter the building through the East Rotunda Doors, though police kept him and others out. Gorski, who previously worked as a freelance photographer in Chicago, told investigators he hadn’t been at the riot but was in Washington sightseeing, according to court documents. He also said anyone who alleged he was there was only doing so because of his political views. In messages obtained by investigators, Gorski often shared election conspiracies and later discussed being there with friends, according to court documents. “Last time this happened it was done by the British in 1812 regardless this was one of the most historical things ever,” he wrote in a message to a friend Jan. 6, 2021. “Zero media covering it when it was actually happening [sic] I was the closest thing to a photographer there.” After at least four tips identified him as someone who had been part of the riot, he began messaging people he thought had sent the tips, according to court documents. “I did nothing wrong lol please put me in the select j6 committee [sic] to show it was people like you that gave up our country,” he said to a friend he believed gave the FBI tips on his whereabouts that day. “I don’t know what you thought you’d get out of it by submitting my name to a database when it is already public.” Another Illinois man charged in the attack, Theodore Middendorf of McLeansboro , has now sought to delay a guilty plea resulting from the riot. His lawyer argued that Trump’s election means “there will be an upcoming, likely significant, change in administration and uncertainty” around how such cases will play out. Trump has promised to pardon those who have been prosecuted for their role in the attack, which more than 50 Illinois residents were charged for. Contributing: Jon SeidelElon Musk Shoots Down Lockheed Martin, Other F-35 Defense Stocks

'Enormous' export potential seen for Philippines' sturdy bamboos: A PhD scholar, P. Deepthi, was found dead at her residence in Kukatpally late on Wednesday. The police have arrested three persons, including her estranged father, for abetment to suicide. Her mother, Pulivarthi Nagamani, complainant in the case, said: “I had gone for a Christmas party at my elder daughter’s place. Deepthi said she has some projects.” When Nagamani returned home, Deepthi did not open the door. Her son-in-law, who was with her, broke open the door and found Deepthi dead. “Administering CPR did not help,” Nagamani said. Deepthi was a PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). Nagamani alleged that Deepthi was falsely implicated in a cheating case filed by two individuals, Bella Anil and Thippani Anita. The case stemmed from a Rs.15 lakh payment made in 2022 to Nagamani’s estranged husband Pulivarthi Sangeetha Rao, who had promised Anita a job at the IICT. According to the complaint, Deepthi was unaware of the transaction but became a target when Anil, Anita, he father Somaiah and brother began demanding Rs.35 lakh to withdraw the complaint. Deepthi’s mother claimed the group harassed her daughter and threatened to ruin her career. The mother alleged that there were casteist slurs passed against her daughter. The situation, Nagamani said, forced her daughter to take her own life. According to the FIR, a video found on Deepthi’s phone reportedly accused Anita, Anil, and Somaiah of being responsible for her death. Inspector G. Rudvir Kumar registered a case of abetment to suicide under the BNS and under the SC/ST Act. Police have arrested Sangeetha Rao, Anita, and Somaiah, while Anil and Saidulu are absconding.

Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”

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THE HAGUE >> The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants today for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. In their decision, the ICC judges said there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant were criminally responsible for acts including murder, persecution and starvation as a weapon of war as part of a “widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza.” Judges said there were also reasonable grounds to believe the blockade on Gaza and lack of food, water, electricity, fuel and medical supplies “created conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population in Gaza, which resulted in the death of civilians, including children, due to malnutrition and dehydration.” The decision was met with outrage in Israel, which called it shameful and absurd. Gaza residents expressed hope it would help end the violence and bring those responsible for war crimes to justice. Hamas welcomed the warrants against the Israelis, and a senior official told Reuters it was a first step towards justice. The warrant for Masri lists charges of mass killings during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, and also charges of rape and the taking of hostages. Israel has said it killed Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, in an airstrike in July but Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied this. The prosecution indicated it would continue to gather information with respect to his reported death. Israel has rejected the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and denies war crimes in Gaza. The United States, Israel’s main diplomatic supporter, is also not a member of the ICC. It said it “fundamentally rejects” the move. “We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson said, adding that the U.S. is discussing next steps with its partners. Global powers Russia, China and India have also not signed onto the ICC, the world’s permanent war crimes court, which is backed by all of the European Union, Australia, Canada, Britain, Brazil, Japan and dozens of African and Latin American countries. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had announced on May 20 that he was seeking arrest warrants for alleged crimes connected to the Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the Israeli military response in Gaza. Israeli and Hamas leaders have dismissed allegations that they committed war crimes. The court does not have its own police force to carry out arrests and relies on its 124 member states for that, with only limited diplomatic means to force them if they do not want to. Khan called on signatories of the court’s founding treaty “to live up to their commitment to the Rome Statute by respecting and complying with these judicial orders.” In a statement he said “we count on their cooperation in this situation, as with all other situations... We also welcome collaboration with non-states parties in working towards accountability and upholding international law.” GLOBAL REACTION “Netanyahu and Gallant now are war criminals and sooner or later some country will bring them to justice, no matter how long it takes,” said Shaban Abed, 47, a technical engineer and a resident of Gaza City, now displaced in the Khan Younis area. He said the court’s move was “late, but never too late.” Rabeeha, a mother of five and a resident of Gaza City who only gave her first name, said she hoped it would help bring an end to the war. “I hope we can soon see Netanyahu and the criminal Gallant in jail,” she said. “Now they can’t travel, now they are being hunted.” Netanyahu’s office said the ICC decision was “antisemitic” and he will “not yield to pressure, will not be deterred” until Israel’s war objectives are met. The ICC has “lost all legitimacy” after issuing the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said. “A dark moment for the International Criminal Court,” Saar said on X, adding that it had issued “absurd orders without authority.” There was no immediate comment from Gallant. In a statement, Hamas welcomed the warrants against Gallant and Netanyahu and urged the court to expand accountability to all Israeli leaders. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters the warrants against the Israelis were an important step towards bringing justice for the victims and that all countries should back them. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the decision was not political but made by a court and thus should be respected and implemented. “The tragedy in Gaza has to stop,” he said. Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi also said the ICC’s decision must be implemented, adding that Palestinians deserved justice after what he termed Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza. The Netherlands’ foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country acts on arrest warrants for people on its territory and will not engage in “non-essential” contacts. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, said: “The court is a dangerous joke. It is now time for the U.S. Senate to act and sanction this irresponsible body.” Israel’s 13-month campaign in Gaza has killed about 44,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly all the enclave’s population while creating a humanitarian crisis, Gaza officials say. It launched the campaign in response to the October 2023, Hamas-led attack which killed 1,200 people in southern Israel, with more than 250 others taken hostage, Israel has said. Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg in The Hague, Nidal Al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Nadine Awadalla in Dubai, Toby Sterling, Charlotte Van Campenhout and Bart Meijer in Amsterdam; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Doina Chiacu; Writing by Ingrid Melander and Anthony Deutsch.