FRIDAY THE 13

woman who was raped at a house party in Co Mayo ten years ago has said her hope is that from today onwards each day will be that little bit better, as the court jailed the man convicted of the rape. In her victim impact statement, 28-year-old Ciara Mangan said that the attack left her feeling degraded and tarnished and that taunts in the aftermath of the rape were "absolute hell on earth". "On the 11th of May 2013, my life and my family's life changed forever. I always say that the moment I was raped, my soul left my body. Part of Ciara was stolen, changed, damaged, hurt and destroyed. I will never be the same Ciara I was before the rape. I will never get my late teens and 20's back. They weren't for anybody to take and destroy, but they were." However, she went on to say: "Today I can proudly say that I survived - but not without immense suffering and an extremely difficult road." "I can only hope that especially from today onwards, each and every day will be that little bit better and easier than the last for my family and I," she said. Shane Noonan, aged 28, of Castlehill Park, Turlough Road in Castlebar, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty earlier this year to the rape of Ms Mangan at the house party ten years ago. He was jailed today for seven years for what the judge described as the "cold, predatory and premeditated" rape of a work colleague as she drifted in and out of consciousness on a bathroom floor. Ms Mangan told the Central Criminal Court she had felt suddenly unwell after being handed an open can of cider at a party on 11 May 2013. In her victim impact statement, Ms Mangan described how before the rape she was "an ordinary, happy, outgoing and bubbly girl". "I had good friends in school, strived to do well in school and just overall enjoyed my life. I enjoyed going to my friends' houses and hanging out or going to the cinema, spending quality time with my family, going out for dinner and lunch etc. I did many extra-curricular activities." However, Ms Mangan went on to explain that she was reluctant to go to the house party in question as she would not know many people there. In the end, she was persuaded to go. "Little did I know that that decision would change my life and my family's life forever," she said. After being handed an open can of cider at the party, she said she began to feel weird and disorientated, her hearing was muffled, she felt sleepy and had a vague memory of vomiting. "Within approximately one to one-and-a-half hours of arriving to the house party I was raped by Shane Noonan. "The rape was aggressive and I had little to no energy or strength to defend myself or stop it from happening. Despite saying no, it still occurred. "My body and mind were so weak and I just couldn't stop myself from falling asleep or most likely, drifting into unconsciousness. I felt lifeless." In the aftermath of the rape, Ms Mangan told the court she was subjected to "rape comments" and "rape songs" by colleagues in the restaurant when the owner was absent. She said this was "absolute hell on earth" and she began to doubt herself because her colleagues "found it funny and a source of entertainment". "I felt confused, embarrassed, disregarded, bullied, stressed, overwhelmed and that I wouldn't be believed," she said. Ms Mangan explained how she struggled to cope after the rape and how it led her to withdraw from her studies. She said she did not tell her parents what had happened until her younger sister was about to start work in the same restaurant. "I was petrified of my sister working with Shane Noonan. I couldn’t take it anymore, I was so overwhelmed and was falling apart. My mum found me crying alone while trying to study and I told her that Shane Noonan from work had raped me. Her mother "fell on the floor in utter shock and sadness, screaming and crying for my dad in the other room". "That was a day my family and I will never forget. That was the moment my whole family was thrown into complete panic, distress and upheaval. We have never been the same as a family since. "The rape was then reported to the gardaí. I felt unbelievable relief. Like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders," explained Ms Mangan. https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/0717/1394989-ciara-mangan-court/

PRO !

Manchester United are on the brink of completing the signing of Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana for almost £50m. Following a further meeting between United and Onana's representatives on Sunday, it is understood an agreement was reached for a five-year contract, with the option of a further year. The Cameroonian, 27, will replace long-time number one David de Gea, who left the club last month after 12 seasons. Negotiations between the clubs have not yet been completed. But it now seems certain Onana will complete the transfer in time to be on United's tour of the United States when they leave later this week. Manager Erik ten Hag knows Onana well from their time together at Ajax and is convinced he can give United the goalkeeping option he has wanted since he arrived at the club just over a year ago. Onana spent seven and a half years at Ajax before moving to Inter in July 2022. He kept eight clean sheets in 24 Serie A games as Inter finished third and also kept eight clean sheets in 13 matches in the Champions League last season - the most of any goalkeeper in the competition. He played against Manchester City in the Champions League final in June as Inter lost 1-0. Onana will be United's second signing of the summer after the arrival of midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea for an initial £55m. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66127287

A group of Tory MPs is calling on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to drastically cut migration, warning the failure to do so "risks eroding public trust". The New Conservatives have issued a 12-point plan to cut net migration by about 400,000 before the next election. The group of MPs recommend closing visa schemes for care workers, increasing salary thresholds, and capping refugee numbers. But critics say the proposals would have consequences for the UK economy. Mr Sunak's official spokesman said the government believes it is "striking the right balance between keeping migration as low as possible while providing staff for key areas". The UK's overall po[CENSORED]tion grew by more than 600,000 people last year, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The ONS said the rise was largely driven by more people from outside the EU arriving on student and work visas, and refugees fleeing conflict and persecution in Ukraine and Hong Kong. The sharp increase represents a huge political challenge for Mr Sunak and the Conservatives, who have repeatedly promised to reduce net migration since taking power in 2010. The party's 2019 manifesto committed to getting the number down, without setting a specific target, while former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron once pledged to bring net migration below 100,000. Sunak says migration 'too high' as new record set Who is allowed to come to live in the UK? Moving target Tories keep trying to hit In a report launched on Monday, the New Conservatives say the British public "did not vote for mass migration and the social and economic harms it brings". "Without swift action to get migration under control, the Conservative Party will further erode the trust of hundreds of thousands of voters who lent the party their vote in 2019," the report says. The report was written by Tory MP Tom Hunt and backed by a group of like-minded Conservatives, including the party's deputy chairman, Lee Anderson, Miriam Cates and James Daly. At the report's launch, Mr Hunt, Ms Cates and Mr Daly insisted they were loyal to the prime minister, but felt his government could go further on cutting immigration. One of the report's main recommendations is closing temporary schemes that grant eligibility for worker visas to care workers. The report says this policy will reduce visas granted by 117,000, leading to a reduction in long-term inward migration to the UK of 82,000. Part of this proposed policy involves only allowing in skilled workers who earn £38,000 a year or more. A report by the Skills for Care charity said the number of vacancies in social care was at its highest rate on record, with 165,000 unfilled posts in 2021-22. Sam Monaghan, chief executive at Methodist Homes, said not being able to recruit carers from overseas would put more pressure on the sector. "Cutting off a key supply of care workers at a time when 500,000 people nationwide are waiting for care is not the answer," Mr Monaghan said. Mr Sunak's official spokesman said the government was not planning to remove care workers from the shortage occupation list. The government was "using the flexibility we have through our migration system to ensure we have sufficient staff in key areas" and "looking to boost the numbers of domestic care staff that are available", Downing Street said https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-66084962

Walking Barney opened up a world of spontaneity and sensitivity. And I’ve met so many people … In the bitter gloom of the new year, my semi-hibernating brain produced this feeble logic: I like looking at dogs in the local park, therefore I might like walking dogs around parks. As I say, it was cold. The sofa and I had become one. Signing up to a dog-borrowing website, one of several in the UK, I posted a quick profile and soon enough met a local co-owner of a small dog, Barney. This crossbreed of many types of terrier was mostly uninterested in the encounter. Still, the following week, I took Barney out for our first solo walk. And this short outing transformed me, instantly, into a dog lover. Barney was immediately captivating up close: the way he launched into the world, twitchy snout first; the way he suddenly stopped still to track a scent in the wind; his loud snuffling as he sniffed the ground, one paw raised in the air. I liked how he bounced through grass and trotted along paths, how he flipped from clownishly comedic one moment to sleek and graceful the next. I was, in short, smitten by the sheer doggyness of this dog. It wasn’t just that, though. As a journalist, I’m preoccupied with language and words (some might say pedantically so), but now this non-verbal creature seemed to be communicating with me. What was he trying to say? As I started walking Barney every week, come rain or slightly less rain, I scoured the internet for clues. I followed online search trails left by dog owners: “Why does my dog stop and refuse to move on walks?”, “Why is my dog barking at me?”, and a pet-related twist on that evergreen human insecurity: “Does my dog even like me?” I really believe that borrowing dogs is a form of socialism I learned to read Barney’s signs, and respond in a way that could make sense to a canine. And if I hit a wall, I deployed the same strategy I use with people: I bribed him with food – in this case not cupcakes and home-cooking, but chicken treats and liver paste. As well as Barney, I now walk a second dog, Arlo, a cockapoo, and marvel at the differences between these two in temperament and character. Barney is high-energy, can be aloof and likes space to do his own thing before he will even consider an interactive game like tug. As an introvert, I can relate. This dog enjoys physical and mental challenges such as dog puzzles (kind of like Wordle for pups) or performing tricks. Arlo, on the other hand, is more demonstrably affectionate, companionable and social, frequently bounding up to other dogs and people on walks. He too has an impressive range of tricks, but mostly drops toys at my feet and play-bows, signs he wants a game of tug, fetch or chase. Pre-dog me might have half-wondered if ascribing such distinct, individual personalities to animals might be veering into anthropomorphism. Pre-dog me was a fool. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jul/19/a-moment-that-changed-me-i-borrowed-a-dog-and-discovered-a-healthier-happier-way-of-life

Wagner mercenary group head Yevgeniy Prigozhin has rejected an offer to his fighters to serve as a unit in Russia's army, President Vladimir Putin says. He told Kommersant newspaper that many group commanders had backed the plan to be led by a senior Wagner figure during recent talks in Moscow. He said Prigozhin's reply was "the guys do not agree with this decision". The talks were held just days after Wagner's aborted mutiny on 23-24 June that challenged Mr Putin's authority. Under the deal that ended the short-lived rebellion, the mercenaries were told they could join the regular Russian army or head to Belarus, a close ally of Russia. Wagner has fought some of the bloodiest battles since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, the US military now assesses that the group is no longer "participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine". The comments were made on Thursday by Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, who also said that "the majority" of Wagner fighters were believed to still be in areas of Russian-occupied Ukraine. In a separate development, Belarus' defence ministry said on Friday that Wagner fighters were now acting as military instructors for the country's territorial defence forces. The ministry said the fighters were training Belarusian forces "in a number of military disciplines" near the town of Osipovichy, about 85km (53 miles) south-east of the capital Minsk. What is Russia's Wagner mercenary group? Stranger than fiction: When Putin met the mutineer In Thursday's interview with Kommersant business daily, President Putin said that 35 Wagner commanders, including Prigozhin, had been present at the Kremlin meeting on 29 June. Mr Putin said he had offered them several "employment options", including continued service under the command of a senior Wagner commander known by his nom de guerre Sedoi - Grey Hair. "Many [Wagner fighters] were nodding when I was saying this," Mr Putin said. "And Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and didn't see all this, said after listening: 'No, the guys do not agree with this decision,'" the president added. He also said that "Wagner does not exist" when asked whether the group would be preserved as a fighting unit. "There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesn't exist." This "difficult issue" of how to legalise Wagner fighters should be discussed in parliament, Mr Putin suggested. The Kremlin appears to want to differentiate between the Wagner chief and regular Wagner fighters, driving a wedge between them, says the BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg in Moscow. He adds that this would explain the attempts in Russia's state media to discredit Prigozhin. The current whereabouts of Prigozhin, a former Putin loyalist, are unknown. Russian state TV takes aim at Wagner's Prigozhin Also on Thursday, US President Joe Biden said Prigozhin should be careful of poisoning following the mutiny. "God only knows what he's likely to do. We're not even sure where he is and what relationship he has [with Mr Putin]. If I were he, I'd be careful what I ate. I'd keep my eye on my menu," Mr Biden said. Speaking after a summit with Nordic leaders in Helsinki, he also said there was no possibility of Mr Putin winning the war in Ukraine. "He's already lost that war," the president said. Mr Biden suggested that the Russian president would eventually "decide it's not in the interest of Russia, economically, politically or otherwise to continue this war. But I can't predict exactly how that happens." He also expressed the "hope and expectation" that Ukraine would make enough progress in its current counter-offensive for there to be a negotiated peace settlement. But more than a month into the long-planned Ukrainian counter-offensive, some Ukrainians and their allies are expressing concerns over the slow progress of Kyiv's troops. Others believe that Russia's defences will eventually shatter, allowing Ukraine to seize strategically significant territory and to advance towards Crimea, Ukraine's southern peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66194549

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed plans to widen its use of the technology to tackle fraud. Campaigners say more information is needed to ensure the system does not make biased referrals for benefit investigations. The department insists it has safeguards in place, and it plans to share more information with MPs. The DWP has put new technology at the heart of its plan to tackle fraud, which went up during Covid when some in-person checks were suspended. An estimated £8.3bn was overpaid in benefits this year, down from the year before but double the £4.1bn in the last year before the pandemic. Public sector urged to be open about algorithm use How are universal credit rules changing? Since last year, it has used an algorithm to flag potentially fraudulent claims for Universal Credit (UC) advances. These are interim payments for those in urgent need, which are then repaid monthly. It uses machine learning, a widely-used form of artificial intelligence (AI), to analyse historical benefits data to predict how likely a new claim is to be fraudulent or incorrect. Claims scored as risky are then referred to civil servants to investigate, with payments put on hold until the referral has been dealt with. In its annual accounts last week, the DWP disclosed plans to pilot "similar" models to review cases in four areas with high overpayment rates, including undeclared earnings from self-employment and incorrect housing costs. A date for the full deployment of the models has not been given by the department. 'Serious risks' The department says it continually monitors the algorithms to guard against the "inherent risk" of unintended bias, and says caseworkers are not told when cases have been flagged by the model. But campaign group Privacy International said it had "ongoing concerns" over a "persistent lack of transparency" over how it was being used. The group told the BBC the DWP had failed to provide "substantive information" about the tools it is using. It added that an outside body should be handed an oversight role, given the "well-documented serious risks to fundamental rights" from decisions informed by algorithms. Child Poverty Action Group said it was alarmed by plans for greater use of machine learning, adding "key flaws" in DWP's digitalisation approach had not yet been addressed. "Expanding the technology while ignoring calls for transparency and rigorous monitoring of and protections against bias will risk serious harm to vulnerable families," added chief executive Alison Garnham. Transparency 'challenge' Gareth Davies, the boss of the National Audit Office, the UK's spending watchdog, has also urged the department to publish details of any potential bias in its machine learning tools to "improve public confidence" in the systems. In his statement on the accounts, he said the DWP had conceded that its ability to test for unfairness relating to protected characteristics - such as age, race and disability - was "currently limited". This was partly because claimants did not always respond to optional questions on their background, but also because certain information had been taken out of its systems for security reasons, he wrote. The department says it is taking steps to integrate the data in its systems soon, and has committed to reporting to MPs annually on how AI-powered tools are affecting different groups of claimants. It also argues it faces a "challenge" in balancing calls for more transparency with a desire not to "tip off" potential fraudsters by revealing too much information about how it identifies potential fraud. The department is expected to respond to the NAO's recommendations later in the year. Labour has also backed the use of AI to tackle fraud, with shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Ashworth saying it could help tackle criminals "taking the taxpayer for a ride". In a speech on Tuesday to the Social Market Foundation, he added that the department's use of the technology had yet to be "properly scaled". The party says it is committed to safeguards to prevent bias in the use of algorithms, although it is yet to set out detailed proposals https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-66133665

huge Burmese python has been caught in Florida with a clutch of 60 eggs that were "just days from being laid." Hunter Mike Kimmel captured and killed the 16-foot-long (5 meters) snake in the Everglades, where the invasive species has been wreaking havoc on local ecosystems for decades. "A python this size can eat anything in the Everglades, as I've proven with the multiple adult alligators I've rescued from being eaten by pythons (3 separate times)." Kimmel wrote in an Instagram post after the catch. A huge Burmese python has been caught in Florida with a clutch of 60 eggs that were "just days from being laid." Hunter Mike Kimmel captured and killed the 16-foot-long (5 meters) snake in the Everglades, where the invasive species has been wreaking havoc on local ecosystems for decades. "A python this size can eat anything in the Everglades, as I've proven with the multiple adult alligators I've rescued from being eaten by pythons (3 separate times)." Kimmel wrote in an Instagram post after the catch. One of the reasons the po[CENSORED]tion is difficult to control is the number of offspring they produce. Burmese pythons mate in spring, with each sexually mature female laying up to 100 eggs about three months after mating. After the eggs are laid, the female coils around them to incubate them for six to eight weeks, until they are ready to hatch. A study published 2016 found the number of Burmese python eggs that go on to successfully hatch was 77%. In 2022, researchers caught the biggest Burmese python ever found in the Everglades — an 18-foot-long (5.5 m) behemoth weighing 215 pounds (98 kilograms). It carried 122 egg follicles — spherical structures that mature into eggs after fertilization. And in April this year, a team led by the U.S. Geological Survey caught a python that had laid 96 eggs in one go — setting a new record for Florida, New Scientist reported. https://www.livescience.com/animals/snakes/enormous-burmese-python-killed-in-florida-everglades-was-about-to-lay-60-eggs

Kiana on Gabriel Kiana What were you hoping for? Maybe a little flirt, but if not just a good conversation and someone not crazy. First impressions? Very Parisian looking – handsome, slim, with a laid-back style – what the Emily in Paris crowd would go crazy for. Lots of good eye contact. What did you talk about? Our families, money, success, work, relationships, French culture v American. He would always ping the question back to me, which I liked because it showed he was engaged. Most awkward moment? When he started talking about how he usually goes for blondes and if he ends up with a non-blonde he’ll know it’s really love. Good table manners? Yes, but less phone at the table on a date. It’s one of my pet peeves. Best thing about Gabriel? He is grounded and comfortable in who he is and what he wants. He values genuine connection and wants a simple family lifestyle, which feels rare in a city like Paris. Would you introduce Gabriel to your friends? Only the blond ones. Describe Gabriel in three words. Kind, authentic, calm. Q&A Fancy a blind date? Show What do you think Gabriel made of you? He commented on how extremely extroverted I am (I talked to the tables next to us a few times). I don’t know if it was a good or bad thing, but it’s me. Did you go on somewhere? No, he had a party he was texting about during the date. And … did you kiss? No. If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be? Less phone usage. Marks out of 10? 7. Would you meet again? Probably not, but Paris is small, so you never know. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/sep/30/blind-date-kiana-gabriel

report published by the Turkish newspaper "Yeni Akit" stated that tensions rose in Kosovo after the local elections held in May, and reached their peak on September 24, with an attack carried out by Serb militants. Writer Ayhan Demir said that the attack that took place in the village of Banska in the city of Zveshan in northern Kosovo, caused the death of a policeman and the injury of another. The clashes that continued for hours also resulted in the killing of gunmen and the arrest of two of them, while the other gunmen were able to flee to Serbia through the areas. Mountainous. The writer stated that the Serbian groups - which he described as terrorist - had been launching rapid attacks (hit and run) since the first decade of the 21st century in the north of the country, but the decisive interventions of the police of the Special Forces in Kosovo spoiled the goals of all those attacks. Not a normal attack He continued that the operation launched by the Kosovo police and NATO peacekeeping forces on the Orthodox Monastery of Banska (where the militants were hiding) revealed that “the matter was not just a terrorist attack,” as the operation resulted in the confiscation of weapons worth 5 million euros, and many This ammunition is of the type that can only be found in army depots. For example, a document was found proving that the seized grenade launcher belonged to the Serbian army. According to the writer, it is believed that the Serbs transported this ammunition using ambulance-like vehicles and forces belonging to the NATO peacekeeping force, wondering, why were the Kosovo intelligence services not aware of this? The report stated that Kosovo's border with Serbia is rugged and mountainous, and this makes it very difficult to control the entire border line. In addition, Serbs use different methods to cross the border. Kosovar intelligence and NATO peacekeeping forces, of course, learned of the efforts to arm the Serbs. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has constantly warned the international community against arming the Serbs. However, little attention has been paid to these warnings. Serbian support According to the writer, it is clear that the attack was carried out with the full support and planning of the Serbian state, and there are many signs in this direction. He added that the declaration by Serbia and the Serbian List party operating in Kosovo of mourning for the militants who were killed in Kosovo is the greatest evidence of who is behind the operation, as if to say, “Be careful here: the mourning is not for the Kosovo policeman who was martyred, but for the Serbian terrorists.” He continued, that days before the attack, the militants received training at the Basulyanski Livadi and Kopaonik military bases, affiliated with the Serbian army. In addition, British MP Alicia Cairns stated - two months before the attack - that Serbia was using religious sites in northern Kosovo as weapons depots. The pictures published by the Kosovo authorities show that Milan Radovic was the leader of the “Serbian terrorist group,” according to the writer, who said that Radovic, vice-president of the Serbian List Party and a member of the Kosovo Parliament, and nicknamed the “Baron of the North,” was moving on the orders of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. It controls areas inhabited by the Serb majority in Kosovo. Radovic was also accused in the case of the murder of Serbian politician Oliver Ivanovic, who was killed on January 16, 2018, and he was also included on a blacklist from the United States and the United Kingdom. As for Bojan Milojevic, who was killed during the attack, he was a bodyguard for Serbian intelligence director Aleksandar Volin, in 2013. He also actively participated in the election campaign of Serbian President Vucic. According to the writer, what he described as the “terrorist group” that carried out the attack consisted of people who received professional military training. In addition, this attack was the result of a large preparation, as Serbia seeks to create conflict zones in northern Kosovo, and wishes to spread the image that the Republic of Kosovo is an unsafe country. Ultimately, it wants to separate the north of the country from Kosovo completely. The danger is not over yet According to the writer, many churches in the north of the country may contain similar ammunition stores, and in addition, there are many armed formations; Such as: Wagner and others in the region, under the control of the state of Serbia. However, Serbia's main strategy is not to enter Kosovo with tanks and heavy weapons, but rather to create a corridor to provide weapons and soldiers in the north of the country, create conflict zones, and then pass the theory of "Serb uprising in Kosovo against the 'injustice' and 'terrorism' to which they were subjected" to The international community, and then the final annexation of the region. The writer concluded in his report that the Serbs in Kosovo do not have any problem with the Albanians. The Serbs in Kosovo need protection from “acts of terrorism carried out by Serbia, and they do not need protection from the state of Kosovo.” https://www.aljazeera.net/news/presstour/2023/10/5/كاتب-تركي-صربيا-تلعب-بالنار-في-البلقان

WASHINGTON — The U.S. will provide Ukraine with an additional $325 million in military aid, President Joe Biden announced Thursday during a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The package includes air defense capabilities, cluster munitions, anti-tank weapons and other equipment. "Today I approved the next tranche of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine including more artillery, more ammunition, more anti-tank weapons and next week, the first U.S. Abrams tanks will be delivered to Ukraine," Biden said. "We also focused on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to protect the critical infrastructure that provides heat and light during the coldest and darkest days of the year." The announcement was made during Zelenskyy's visit to Washington, D.C., where he appealed to lawmakers and administration officials for more assistance. Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the new aid following the announcement. He said Americans are “together with us, with Ukrainians, with ordinary people, all of us.” “Thank you so much,” he added. Ahead of the meeting, National Security Council senior director for Europe, Amanda Sloat, discussed the aid package on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports." "It’s the fourth package that we will have announced in six weeks," Sloat said, adding that air defense "is the most critical capability that the Ukrainians need now." Sloat added that the new package will not include long-range ballistic missiles that are equipped with cluster munitions — tiny bomblets that disperse widely on a target. She noted, however, that Biden has not ruled out providing them in the future. This package is separate from the additional $24 billion that the president wants Congress to approve for Ukraine. Before the meeting began in the Oval Office, Biden and Zelenskyy gave brief remarks to the reporters. Biden said that no nation will be secure if the U.S. does not help Ukraine in defending its territory against Russia. Zelenskyy thanked Biden and Congress for frank and constructive dialogues during their meetings on Thursday. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska at the White House on Thursday. Biden's meeting with Zelenskyy comes as part of the Ukrainian leader's second trip to Washington since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian president met with a bipartisan group of House members and met with about 70 senators shortly after. A number of Republicans, especially those in the House, are skeptical about approving more aid to Ukraine. In the meeting with senators, Zelenskyy took half a dozen questions on topics including a plan for victory and what Ukrainians need most from the U.S. in terms of financial and military aid. Follow live updates on the Zelenskyy visit After Biden and Zelenskyy met in the Oval Office, both then joined an expanded bilateral meeting in the East Room with other top administration officials including Vice President Kamala Harris. The first ladies of both nations participated in the visit as well. Zelenskyy's trip to Washington also included a meeting at the Pentagon with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley. In his Tuesday speech at the United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, Biden reiterated support for Ukraine and emphasized that "Russia alone bears responsibility for this war." "If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure? I’d respectfully suggest the answer is no," Biden said in his speech. "We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow." Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Thursday that he declined a request from Zelenskyy to address a joint session of Congress because of time constraints given the busy legislative week, in remarks first reported by Punchbowl News. McCarthy also noted that Zelenskyy had already addressed Congress. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pose together at the Capitol on Sept. 21, 2023. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pose together at the Capitol on Sept. 21, 2023. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., blasted McCarthy for his decision not to hold a joint address for Zelenskyy, telling NBC News that “there was a possibility that we could have had a joint session, but apparently the House decided that they didn’t have time to do it, which is disappointing.” “Guess they have their hands full,” Rounds quipped. Zelenskyy's visit comes the same day a group of congressional Republicans sent a letter to Director of the Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young about Ukraine's funding request, arguing that "it would be an absurd abdication of congressional responsibility to grant" it without having further details about how the money is used, the Ukrainians' strategy and Biden's exit plan. The letter was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. In Washington, Zelenskyy met for a little more than an hour with senators on Capitol Hill. He spoke entirely in English, without the use of translators, according to two Senators in the room. “He was exceptionally good today,” said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., who has questioned and voted against aid for Ukraine in the past. Zelenskyy was “extremely personable,” Rounds said, adding that the closed-door nature of the meeting allowed senators to have a more intimate conversation with the Ukrainian president. Asked if there was concern that Congress would not approve aid, Rounds shot back that there was “more than enough” support in both chambers. Both Biden and Zelenskyy attended the U.N. General Assembly this week, and in July they met during the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Zelenskyy visited Washington in December and delivered an address to a joint meeting of Congress. He also met with Biden at the White House during the December trip. “Ukraine is alive and kicking,” he said in his previous speech to Congress. “Ukraine holds its lines and will never surrender.” Congress has appropriated more than $113 billion for the U.S. response to the war in Ukraine, according to a March release from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/zelenskyy-visit-congress-meet-biden-white-house-rcna108115

It will not be easy for Real Madrid TV to compact images of Gil Manzano that reinforce their theories before the Classic. More than anything because the balance of the Extremaduran referee, chosen by the Technical Committee of Referees to direct the great game this Saturday (4:15 p.m./DAZN LaLiga), is much more favorable to the merengue interests than to the culés. It will be the third Classic that the man who was born in Don Benito 39 years ago has whistled, both with white victories. In LaLiga 2014-15, Ancelotti's Real beat Luis Enrique's Barça 3-1 with a penalty at the hands of Piqué, yellow cards for Messi, Neymar and Iniesta in the first 38 minutes, others forgiven for Cristiano, Modric and Carvajal and a red card to Sergio Ramos who was left in the pocket. In 2020-21, 2-1 for Zinedine Zidane against Ronald Koeman with Messi arguing with Gil Manzano over a disparate criterion. Vinicius exaggerated the foul that made Kroos 2-0 and then avoided two pushes in the area by Mendy on Dembélé and Braithwaite, this one clearer in the 83rd minute. https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20231026/1002094077/gil-manzano-mas-amigo-madrid-barca.html

A massive chunk of "floating gold" has been found in the belly of a dead whale beached on the Spanish island of La Palma. The highly valuable substance — called ambergris — is a waxy material secreted by sperm whales when they swallow indigestible material such as squid beaks. Ambergris is used to make perfumes and can sell for thousands of dollars per pound. The chunk found in the Canary Islands weighed about 21 pounds (9.5 kilograms) and could sell for approximately $550,000, according to The Guardian, which first reported the story. Antonio Fernández Rodríguez, an animal health researcher at the University of Las Palmas, was digging inside the washed-up whale's carcass to try and figure out how it died when he came upon a chunk of something stuck in the whale's intestine, The Guardian reported. The ambergris seemed to have ruptured the whale's intestine, leading to its death and eventual beaching. Related: Weird 'alien' sacks wash up on UK beach, most likely a whale's stomach Only 1% to 5% of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are found with ambergris — a secretion from the bile duct that is believed to coat indigestible objects the animal has eaten. Normally whales regurgitate these objects, but when they don't, the ambergris helps protect the whale's organs from the sharp material. This rare substance has been used in perfume-making for hundreds of years because it can help a scent stick to a person's skin — and while synthetic alternatives have since been invented, some companies still use it for certain fragrances. Sperm whales were one of the most sought-after species in the historical whaling industry, and over-hunting caused their po[CENSORED]tion to plummet. But while the global sperm whale po[CENSORED]tion appears to have stabilized since the decline of whaling in the late 20th century, the species is still considered vulnerable. Sperm whales are given the highest level of protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, an international treaty banning the sale of various threatened species and their parts. But because ambergris is considered an animal waste product, it isn't covered by the treaty and is legal to sell in many countries. (Though not, notably, in the United States, where it is banned from sale and ownership because it is part of a protected animal.) In the European Union, which includes the Canary Islands, trade of ambergris is legal. Rodríguez told The Guardian he's hoping to sell this newly discovered chunk and use the proceeds to support victims of a 2021 volcanic eruption on La Palmas, which devastated parts of the island, causing an estimated $929 million in damages https://www.livescience.com/animals/whales/dollar500000-chunk-of-floating-gold-found-in-dead-whale

The conservancy is an environmental nonprofit based in Naples. Jake Waleri, 22, found the snake and said he knew it had to be measured and weighed for the sake of science. “We brought the snake to the Conservancy to be officially measured and documented. We wanted to donate this find to science,” he said in the conservancy’s statement. The environment group described Burmese pythons as an “invasive apex predator” that should be removed from Southwest Florida’s ecosystem. The heaviest Burmese python found in Florida was documented in 2022 and weighed 215 pounds, the conservancy said. RecommendedIan Easterling, a biologist with the conservancy, said it was important to enter into the record how long Burmese pythons can grow. “We had a feeling that these snakes get this big, and now we have clear evidence. Her genetic material may prove valuable for an eventual understanding of the founding po[CENSORED]tion of South Florida,” Easterling said. Burmese pythons are docile behavior, making them a favorite among large reptile owners, according to National Geographic. However, they are often poorly cared for, frequently released into the wild and attacks on their handlers are not atypical, National Geographic said. The reptiles are native to grassy marshes and jungles in Southeast Asia. They can grow up to 23 feet or more, and their diets consist primarily of small mammals and birds, National Geographic said. They kill by constriction, and grasping their prey with their teeth while coiling their bodies around it and squeezing until suffocation, according to National Geographic. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/animal-news/snake-hunters-nab-19-foot-long-burmese-python-florida-rcna94326

Elon Musk gave few hints about how his new artificial intelligence company dubbed xAI will work at the company's presentation, but he did note that this tool will not be trained to be politically correct. Musk noted that xAI is looking to compete with OpenAI, Google and Microsoft; However, in the almost two-hour audio-only presentation, the controversial billionaire did not give specific information about what types of tools xAI will offer, when it will start offering services, who will be able to access it or if it will be free. He didn't do any visual demonstration of how xAI will be able to work. However, he did make a comparison with the most po[CENSORED]r generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots, such as ChatGPT, Bard or Bing, which do not answer questions from users if they consider them to be racist, violent or hateful, something that, according to Musk shows that they are programmed to be politically correct. "I think there's a significant danger in training an AI to be politically correct or, in other words, training it not to say what it actually thinks to be true," Musk noted in the company's presentation he gave today at the Twitter Spaces chat, a social network that he has also owned since last October. To clarify his opinion, the executive director of SpaceX and Tesla gave the example of the Stanley Kubrick film "2001: A Space Odyssey", and said that in that adventure things began to go wrong when they asked the supercomputer Hal 9000 to lie. . https://noticiasaldiayalahora.co/tecnologia/elon-musk-sistema-de-inteligencia-artificial-xai-no-sera-politicamente-correcto/