Talks on live surveillance ongoing in UK, recordings work fine for Dutch cops
South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and six others have recently been put on the arrest list, marking a significant development in the country's political landscape. The move comes amid allegations of corruption, misuse of power, and other serious charges that have rocked the nation and raised concerns about the integrity of its political leadership.
A massacre of more than 200 people in Haiti this month followed a gang-ordered manhunt that saw victims, many of them elderly, pulled from their homes and shot or killed with machetes, the UN said Monday. The victims were suspected of involvement in voodoo and accused by a gang leader of poisoning his child, with the suspects taken to a "training center" where many were dismembered or burned after being killed. A civil society organization had said at the time that the gang leader was convinced his son's illness was caused by followers of the religion. "On the evening of December 6, (Micanor Altes) ordered the members of his gang -- around 300 -- to carry out a brutal 'manhunt.' They stormed into about ten alleys of the (Port-au-Prince) neighborhood and forcibly dragged the victims out of their homes," said the report, authored jointly by the UN office in Haiti, BINUH, and the UN Human Rights Commissioner (OCHR). In the days that followed, the gang returned to the neighborhood, abducting adherents from a voodoo temple, targeting individuals suspected of tipping off local media and slaughtering people seeking to escape. Some of the bodies "were then burned with gasoline, or dismembered and dumped into the sea," the report concluded. A total of 134 men and 73 women were killed in total over six days, the report said. A mosaic of violent gangs control most of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. The impoverished Caribbean country has been mired for decades by political instability, made worse in recent years by gangs that have grown in strength and organizational sophistication. Despite a Kenyan-led police support mission, backed by the United States and UN, violence has continued to soar. "According to BINUH and OHCHR, since January 2024, more than 5,358 people have been killed and 2,155 injured," the report said. "This brings the total number of people killed or injured in Haiti to at least 17,248 since the beginning of 2022." The UN Security Council "strongly condemned the continued destabilizing criminal activities of armed gangs and stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the population." A spokeswoman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "these crimes touched the very foundation of Haitian society, targeting the most vulnerable populations." Voodoo was brought to Haiti by African slaves and is a mainstay of the country's culture. It was banned during French colonial rule and only recognized as an official religion by the Haitian government in 2003. While it incorporates elements of other religious beliefs, including Catholicism, voodoo has been historically attacked by other religions. gw
Amazon, known for its dominance in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming services, has made significant investments in AI technology in recent years. From customer recommendations and supply chain optimization to voice recognition and automated data analysis, AI plays a crucial role in many aspects of Amazon's operations. By teaming up with Perplexity, a rising star in the AI industry, Amazon is looking to further enhance its capabilities and solidify its position as a leader in the field.
Stalemate at UniAbuja over selection of VC
As news of the shop owner's act of kindness spread, it quickly captured the hearts of many in the community. People were inspired by his willingness to go above and beyond to help a stranger in need, without expecting anything in return. The shop owner's actions reminded us that it is often the smallest gestures that have the greatest impact on others.
Barcelona's future success hinges on a combination of strategic planning, effective recruitment, and nurturing young talents within the team. The club is looking to strike a balance between experienced players who can provide leadership and guidance and young talents who can inject energy and enthusiasm into the team.A timeline of OpenAI's rocky 2024
It is shaping up to be an unprecedented year for gamers as analysts are already buzzing with excitement over the highly anticipated releases of GTA 6 and NS2 in the coming year. The gaming industry is abuzz with speculation and anticipation for what promises to be a groundbreaking year in the world of gaming.In the second edition of the SMF Fest Confidence Index, published yesterday, biodiesel topped the poll, pushing the 2023 winner, LNG-biomethane, into second place, while LNG e-methane retained its third position in the rankings. Apart from the three frontrunners, confidence levels appear to have dropped across the candidate fuels year on year. Confidence in green methanol has fallen from 53.5% in 2023 to 40.6% and green hydrogen, from 42.7% to 29.2%. Moving to the bottom of the Index, confidence in blue hydrogen dipped from 34.5% to 18.8%, and grey hydrogen, from 33.2% to 13.9%. In 2023, confidence levels in methanol-fuelled shipping were very measured, in spite of a clear upswing in orders that year for methanol fuelled-vessels. However, last year’s confidence levels in this fuel now look to have been quite bullish in comparison with 2024 voting, as green methanol has retreated from the ‘quite confident’ category into the ‘little confidence’ zone. Among the green fuel variants, green ammonia moved up the pecking order, swapping places with green hydrogen, while there was little movement year-on-year between the blue fuel variants. For the grey fuel variants, methanol retained its 2023 position, ammonia moved up two places from the bottom of the Index, while grey hydrogen dropped into last position. The first SMF Confidence Index was launched at the inaugural Sustainable Marine Fuel Fest held in Valencia in November 2023, with the intention to provide a ‘moment in time’ indication of how confident shipping and marine fuel industry stakeholders are that the groundwork required for maritime’s energy transition, including its infrastructure and technology, is in place. It is not a forecast of how likely it is that the shipping sector can meet the IMO’s decarbonisation end of decade milestones, out to 2050, but it does fill an information/perception gap that currently exists in the sector. The Index charts and compares changes in industry confidence in shipping’s energy transition according to four key criteria (Technology, Infrastructure, Commercial and Environmental Credentials) and across five deep sea vessel segments: containerships, dry cargo, gas carriers, passenger vessels and tankers. These criteria/vessel segments are considered in relation to the use of 12 marine fuels (including grey/blue/green variants). The new edition of the Index shows that the dial on shipping’s decarbonisation has moved in some important respects as industry stakeholders are become more informed about the energy transition process and its challenges. There is increased awareness of the environmental credentials of the alternative fuel options, and the conversation is moving on to focus on the commercial landscape for these energy sources, in terms of their availability, scalability and cost. Voting for the 2024 Confidence Index and discussing its outcomes was a key element of this year’s ‘by industry for industry’ Sustainable Marine Fuel Fest (SMF Fest) which took place in Porto in October. The framework for the Index was developed by the event’s industry partners who represent companies that that are proactive in delivering shipping’s fuel transition. The industry partners involved in the 2024 event were Bureau Veritas, GTT, Hapag-Lloyd, SGMF and Wärtsilä. The participants in this year’s Fest represented a wide range of stakeholders across the marine fuel value chain. The results of the 2024 Confidence Index can be seen as a fair reflection of the tenor and tone of the many conversations in Porto. There was close discussion about the production processes for the new fuels in shipping’s energy mix as well as the availability (and cost) of green variants of these fuels. ‘No-one will pay more than they have to for the new fuels’ was an oft-repeated phrase in conversations. Some participants also questioned the near- and longer-term future of the blue iterations of ammonia, hydrogen and methanol. A lack of demand signals for fuels from shipowners was a key topic and a strong element of ‘uncertainty’ among different stakeholders was perceived as stymying progress in the development of a robust, global fuel supply infrastructure. Shipowners are unsure about future fuel choices because they are not getting clear messaging from charterers about fuel preferences and routing schedules. Owners may also be ‘buying time’ and opting for the cheapest fuel solutions while they decide on future fuel strategies, but there was consensus in the room that those owners and operators who can pass through fuel costs are better placed to take earlier and bolder decisions on new fuels. Concern was also expressed over the future volumes of low and zero carbon fuels, particularly over the time taken for final investment decisions on production projects to be taken and the fact that only a small percentage of such projects stay the course and move to commercialisation. The increasingly complex landscape of regulation and legislation also loomed large in discussions, particularly in relation to compliance obligations and cost implications, with the consensus being: We don’t need any more regulation – work with what we have. A key takeaway from SMF Fest 2024 was that decision-making on future fuel strategies remains slow and cautious – while there are some (large and small) first movers at this stage in the energy transition, there are still not many ‘close followers’. The Confidence Index will be fully updated at the next SMF Fest which will take place in autumn 2025. Source: SMF Confidence Index
But be prepared for the unexpected, as "Beauty Overload" is known for its plot twists and surprise revelations that will keep you guessing until the very end. Will you find true love, overcome obstacles, and follow your heart to a happy ending? Or will you face heartbreak, betrayal, and unexpected challenges that test the limits of your love and resilience?Reusable Lawn Waste Collection Bags Available to Southeast, USA Homes Online at Lowe’s Home Improvement Store Website
Moving forward, the CPC reaffirms its dedication to promoting clean governance, combating corruption, and building a more just and prosperous society for all. The expulsion of Wu Yingjie and the subsequent investigations into his network of corruption are concrete steps towards these goals, signaling a firm commitment to upholding the Party's core values and principles.Despite the rumors surrounding Rashford's future at the club, Manchester United's stance remains clear - they are not willing to entertain any offers for the talented forward. The club sees Rashford as a long-term asset and are committed to helping him rediscover his best form and fulfill his potential. With Amorim's backing and the unwavering support of the fans, Rashford will have the opportunity to bounce back from his recent struggles and cement his place as one of the top players in English football.
When the final pronouncement was made, confirming the death sentence for Yu Hua Ying, a bittersweet wave of relief washed over the courtroom. For Yang Niuhua, it was a moment of closure, a validation of her unwavering pursuit of justice for her daughter. In her eyes, the preservation of the death sentence was not an act of vengeance, but rather a solemn duty to ensure that the memory of her daughter would be honored and respected.
