US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that the allies would continue helping Ukraine to prepare the country for the continuation of the conflict with Russia in 2025. The North Atlantic Alliance should adjust itself to "changes in Ukraine's needs" and the situation on the battlefield. The US Secretary of State made such statements amid reports about North Korean troops fighting Ukrainian forces on the front lines. Blinken also called on the allies to "respond harshly". NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who supports the idea of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, calls for the continuation of the "bloody massacre," Maria Zakharova, an official representative for the Russian Foreign Ministry said, RIA Novosti reports.

The OSCE Presence in Albania on 24 March 2016 launched a series of workshops for the Albanian border and migration police with the aim of raising their capacity to respond to the challenges of irregular migration, particularly in light of the increased migrant flows through the Western Balkans.

The first of the workshops, which are being organized in close partnership with the Directorate of the Albanian State Police and the General Directorate of Border and Migration, took place in Korça, where 20 border and migration police were trained on measures to be taken to cope with the situation.

The subjects were based on trends as identified by Frontex and EUROPOL, and included migrant routes, the pre-screening of migrants, profiling of possible terrorist fighters, and the detection of criminal offences. The workshop was conducted by experts from the Albanian Europol National Unit and the Albanian Border and Migration Police.

The OSCE Presence, together with its Albanian partners, will organize similar workshops in the coming days with the border and migration police in Gjirokastra and in Shkodra. 

Related Stories

• Young people in Albania say NO to corruption
• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier visits Albania, reiterates support for Albanian institutions and its citizens
• Students launch exhibition against domestic violence as part of OSCE Presence in Albania campaign

Stephen King has posted on X to respond to the rumor that Elon Musk banned him.

Jevone Morrissey, the pilot who crashed his powerboat in St George’s on Sunday [June 9], has thanked those who came to the assistance of his crew. Morrissey and co-pilot Jordan Place’s BV-31 boat suffered a mechanical issue and hit one of the old railway bridge pylons between Coney and St George’s islands during the Bermuda […]

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources [DENR] responded to reports of ‘spotted lanternflies’ — an invasive insect species — discovered aboard two cruise ships, with DENR noting that “both ships fully cooperated with DENR’s protocols, ensuring the effective elimination of the invasive pest.” A Government spokesperson said, “On September 2, 2024, the Department of […]

The FBI conducted a raid at Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan's home Wednesday morning, a company spokesperson told BI.

ZHUHAI, China — Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai removed wreaths, candles and even bottles of Chinese alcohol laid at the scene of the deadliest mass killing in the country in a decade, as the government scrambled to respond and censor the outrage online. On Monday, a male driver angry at his divorce settlement rammed his car into a crowd at a sports center in the city of 2.5 million, killing 35 people and injuring 43, but the government took almost a day to announce the death toll. This prompted an outrage on Chinese social media, where posts complaining about the government's slow response and raising questions about the mental health of a nation shaken by a recent spate of similar killings, were being quickly removed. Despite the efforts to clear the site in Zhuhai, which is near Macau, delivery drivers on motorbikes kept dropping off fresh flowers on Wednesday morning, even as authorities erected temporary barriers around the makeshift vigil area and deployed security personnel. “The authorities hadn’t released any information - some colleagues mentioned it and I couldn’t believe it at first, but it was confirmed later,” said a 50-year-old man who identified himself as Zheng who brought flowers to the site. “It’s just a spontaneous feeling I had. Even though I don’t know them personally, I had family members who passed away in the past, so I understand that feeling," said Zheng. Some wreaths carried handwritten notes: "Strangers travel well. May there be no demons in heaven,” read one. On another: “May there be no thugs in heaven. Good will triumph over evil. Rest in peace.” After initially allowing journalists to briefly speak to the people laying the flowers, a handful of security personnel sporting light blue uniforms and caps told reporters not to talk to the people or to film specific messages on the bouquets. The attack happened as Zhuhai captured China's attention with the People's Liberation Army's largest annual airshow, where a new stealth jet fighter is on display for the first time. China’s state broadcaster CCTV did not mention the attack in its 30-minute midday news bulletin. Instead, the program led with President Xi Jinping's departure for the APEC summit in Peru and devoted a portion of the airtime to the airshow. Other state media, such as China Daily's Chinese language website, also prominently displayed the news of Xi's upcoming visit to Peru. The current affairs part of China Daily's website and the local area page did not mention the incident either. Hundreds of rescue personnel were deployed to provide emergency treatment, and more than 300 healthcare workers from five hospitals worked around the clock to save lives, state media's Beijing Daily reported on Tuesday. There was no indication that the attack was related to the airshow. But it was the second such incident to occur during the Zhuhai airshow: in 2008, at least four people were killed and 20 injured when a man drove a truck into a crowded schoolyard during the airshow. Police said that attacker had been seeking revenge over a traffic dispute. Xi, cited by CCTV on Tuesday, ordered all-out efforts to treat the injured and demanded severe punishment for the perpetrator. The central government has dispatched a team to provide guidance on handling of the case, CCTV said. Violent crime is rare in China due to tight security and strict gun laws. However, a rise in reports of knife attacks in large cities has drawn public attention to safety in public spaces. The deadliest attack Reuters was able to identify in recent years in China took place in Urumqi, in China's western Xinjiang region, in 2014, in which suicide bombers killed 39 people and four of the five attackers also died.

Dr. Roccas is the author of Time and Despondency and talks about the meaning of despondency and how it is impacting the Church.

Currie, L D; Brent, T A; Turner, E C. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences vol. 57, no. 10, 2020 p. 1254-1267, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2019-0159
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20210388.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20210388.jpg" title="Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences vol. 57, no. 10, 2020 p. 1254-1267, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2019-0159" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins declined to get into a back-and-forth with Marcus Stroman on Sunday afternoon, sidestepping criticism of the organization from his right-handed starter.

No known believers from a Muslim background existed in Turkey when the first two OMers arrived in 1961. Now, nearly half of the 7,000 believers there can trace their journey through the Bible Correspondence Course.

Since 2007, the Bus4Life has visited 150 locations, welcomed 10,000 visitors and touched many lives, including one Romanian teen who comes back to God.

1. 'We've got a bit of history': Ricky Ponting responds to Gautam Gambhir's remarks, calls him 'prickly...  Moneycontrol
2. Ricky Ponting hits back at Gautam Gambhir, calls him 'prickly character'  The Times of India
3. 'That's a bad move, Ricky. What are you doing?': Ponting's Virat Kohli jibe questioned amid 'spicy' ball-tampering claim  Hindustan Times
4. "What Are You Doing?" Lee Warns Ricky Ricky Ponting Over 'Virat Kohli Remark'  NDTV Sports
5. ‘What Are You Doing?’: Former Australian Cricketer Hits Back At Ricky Ponting Over Remark On Virat Kohli’s Test Form  News24

Many latest developments are made in educational system of not only India but also of the world. In last few years students prefer to select distance education while doing part time job. Besides this, married...

the first, 1095-1101;

the second, headed by Louis VII, 1145-47;

the third, conducted by Philip Augustus and Richard Coeur-de-Lion, 1188-92;

the fourth, during which Constantinople was taken, 1204;

the fifth, which included the conquest of Damietta, 1217;

the sixth, in which Frederick II took part (1228-29); also Thibaud de Champagne and Richard of Cornwall (1239);

the seventh, led by St. Louis, 1249-52;

the eighth, also under St. Louis, 1270.

Dr. Carl Leth recently wrote "An Open Letter To Manny Silva" in response to my post about Olivet Nazarene University promoting contemplative spirituality. My response to that is below, followed after by the full text of his letter.

El presidente de Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, ha manifestado su deseo de proponer al gobierno central una agenda clara destinada a mejorar la colaboración institucional con las comunidades autónomas. Este anuncio se realizó durante la firma de convenios con la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha y la Universidad de Alcalá, en la que García-Page abordó la […]

Artículo publicado en : Page Propondrá Agenda de Armonización para Mejorar Colaboración Autonómica Tras Emergencia

Here is the video of investigative reporter Janna Clark's FOX23 News report yesterday with my interview.

How to have the fish pond you've always dreamed of and make sure your fish are livin' the good life - GUARANTEED!

Farmscape for November 7, 2024

Animal health officials are responding to the first case of a pig in the United States testing positive for high path H5N1 avian influenza.
On October 30th USDA confirmed that the first detection in a pig of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza had occurred on a small backyard mixed farm in Oregon that housed poultry, swine, sheep and goats.
Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder notes the investigation was triggered when birds on the farm started showing clinical signs of infection.

Quote-Dr. Megan Niederwerder-Swine Health Information Center:
We know that H5N1 is a specific highly pathogenic avian influenza strain that has really increased with regards to circulation over the last two years.
This is primarily maintained in migratory waterfowl but the virus has spilled over into other mammalian species such as seals and sea lions as well as domestic livestock including dairy cattle, first detected in March of 2024 and now in the first pig in October of 2024.
These pigs that were housed on this farm, there were five pigs, none of these animals were intended for the commercial food supply.
Pork continues to be safe for consumption.
There is no concern about the safety of the nation's pork supply as a result of this finding.
The other aspect of this detection is that none of the pigs that were housed on the operation, including the one that was found to be infected, had any clinical signs.
They were completely healthy so this could indicate a low pathogenicity in pigs.
We're still learning about that.
Only a single pig has been shown to be infected so there's a lot to learn about the potential risk to the swine industry.

Dr. Niederwerder encourages pork producers to review their biosecurity procedures focussing on areas where workers or equipment may be exposed to both dairy farms and pig farms or poultry farms and pig farms.
To keep up to date on the situation visit swinehealth.org.
For more visit Farmscape.Ca.
Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is produced on behalf of North America’s pork producers

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[WFP] Yaounde -- Recent flooding in Cameroon has affected more than 400,000 people and upended lives and livelihoods, as the country grapples with acute food insecurity amid rising food prices, conflict, displacement, and climatic shocks.

Ovais Sultan Khan has been accused of grave sins by social media accounts regarding incarceration of Muslim youth for CAA/NRC protests and Delhi Riots. He has released the following statement today in English, Hindi and Urdu:

In the first episode of a five-part Lenten series on despondency, we learn what despondency is (and what it isn't), and how it relates to our experience of time. Ultimately, despondency is a means of escaping the present moment we find ourselves in.

The present moment is a gift from God. But too often, we flee from this "gift of the now" through our mental ideations of the past and future. Today, we're calling that movement despondency and exploring the physical, emotional and spiritual paths by which we escape from the present.

Today we talk about various antidotes to the passion of despondency, which all have the effect of bringing us back to the present moment of heart.

Today we continue our discussion of how to regain God's gift of the present moment. We'll touch on humor, scripture recitation, and prayer.

In this final segment of our lenten series on Time and Despondency, we explore the substance of the present moment—the Holy Resurrection. Thoughts on how to re-present ourselves and our world this Pascha and beyond.

About a year ago on this podcast, I started a five-part Lenten mini-series called Time and Despondency. I'm happy to announce that I've turned this series into a book to be published by Ancient Faith sometime in Fall 2017. As I finish up the manuscript, I reflect on the intersection between time and despondency. Interested in listening to the original series? Check out Part I (of 5) from last year.

Does the new year bring up feelings of shame and apathy? Do all those perky new year's resolutions people annoy you? Or are you frustrated by your failed attempts to do better this time around? In this brand-new season of Time Eternal, we talk about the connection between shame and despondency, particularly as it relates to the new (civil) year. Plus, Nicole announces the launch of her book, Time and Despondency, on January 15. Last but not least: Time Eternal just turned two! With that, we're moving to a two-season per year format (hear more about that in the episode). This episode marks Episode 1 of Season 5!

This Lent, I'm walking through my book, Time and Despondency, in tandem with the free Lenten study guide available through Ancient Faith Publishing. In weeks one and two, we're talking about finding God at the grocery store, conquering the protagonist syndrome, and learning to inhabit life without the defense mechanisms of pride and impatience . You can follow along with the book and the free study guide here: http://store.ancientfaith.com/time-and-despondency/ This episode contains the Prayer of St. Ephrem as well as the following music: Kai Engel: "Idea," "Irsen's Tale," and "Remedy for Melancholy" Podington Bear: "Across the River" Chris Zabriskie: "Prelude 10"

As we approach the Cave wherein God becomes a Babe, may we, like His mother, be granted the gift of pondering. Fr Joseph in Chicago, 2010.

Fr. John shares his homily from the Sunday of St. John Climacus.

In this episode Samuel Dutschmann, College Conference Midwest Student Leader, is joined by author, podcaster, and trauma coach, Nicole Roccas. They discuss despondency in the life of college students. Nicole shares insights from her work and how students might work through these restless moments of our lives.

As our culture grows more and more accepting of things that trouble us as Orthodox Christians, Fr. John Oliver shares the example of St. Paul to guide our response.

Fr. John sees our sexuality as a gift from the Divine Logos.

In part 3 of his series on same sex marriage, Fr. John reflects on what a civil right is and how that applies to the question of same same unions.

Fr. Michael shares from St. Isaac the Syrian. "St. Isaac advises us that when we find ourselves confronting either tedium or despondency, we need to call to mind why we are doing what we are doing. Why do I pray? Why do I read my bible? Why do I do any spiritual discipline that I do? I do it because I desire the hidden, spiritual realities. I desire to know God. St. Isaac tells us that we must allow this desire to generate expectation in us: expectation that God will come to my aid, expectation that soon something hidden will indeed be revealed to me; expectation that this simple act of being diligent and hanging in there will indeed bear fruit."

We have all had experiences in which we have learned uncomfortable truths about ourselves. When that happens, we have a choice about what to do next. It is possible to recognize a weakness or failing and then to do what we can to overcome it. Too often, however, we give up hope and fall into despair due to our hurt pride. That is precisely what the man in today’s gospel lesson did when Jesus Christ gave him a commandment that he lacked the strength to obey: “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”