New Zealand’s Maori King Tuheitia dies aged 69
Tributes pour in after the king’s death in hospital where he was recovering from heart surgery. New Zealand’s Maori Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has died at the age of 69. Aides for the king of the country’s Indigenous Maori people said he died in hospital on Friday. He had been recovering from heart surgery just days after celebrating the 18th anniversary of his coronation. “The death of Kiingi Tuheitia is a moment of great sadness,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “A chief who has passed to the great beyond. Rest in love.” The Kiingitanga – Maori King movement – was founded in 1858 with the aim of uniting New Zealand’s Indigenous Maori under a single sovereign. The position has significant political and symbolic weight, but no legal status. New Zealand media reported the king’s funeral was likely to take place next Thursday and that he would be buried alongside his mother, Queen Dame Te Atairangikaahu, and previous Maori kings on the sacred Taupiri Mountain. Tuheitia succeeded his mother in 2006 to become the seventh Kiingitanga monarch, although the position is not necessarily hereditary. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon led the tributes as flags on government and public buildings were flown at half-mast. “Today, we mourn,” Luxon said in a statement from Tonga, where he is attending the Pacific Islands Forum. “His unwavering commitment to his people and his tireless efforts to uphold the values and traditions of the Kiingitanga have left an indelible mark on our nation. “I will remember his dedication to Aotearoa New Zealand, his commitment to mokopuna [young people], his passion for te ao Maori [customs], and his vision for a future where all people are treated with dignity and respect.” Britain’s King Charles III, New Zealand’s formal head of state, said he was “shocked” by the news, having recently spoken to King Tuheitia by phone. “My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Kiingi Tuheitia,” the king said in a statement. “I had the greatest pleasure of knowing Kiingi Tuheitia for decades. “He was deeply committed to forging a strong future for Maori and Aotearoa-New Zealand founded upon culture, traditions and healing, which he carried out with wisdom and compassion,” he said, using the country’s Maori and English-language names. There are some 900,000 Maori people in New Zealand, about 17 percent of the population. The Maori monarch has been a powerful voice on the legacy of colonialism. The arrival of Europeans in New Zealand plunged the country into a conflict that ended in the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi between the British and hundreds of Maori chiefs. The document is considered the country’s founding document and granted the Maori the same rights as British subjects and authority over “taonga” or treasures that can be intangible. The next king is likely to be chosen by the heads of tribes or iwi associated with the Kiingitanga at the end of next week’s tangihanga, or funeral rites, according to Radio New Zealand. The event is expected to last for at least five days. Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine says US-made F-16 fighter jet crashed, killing pilot
The crash is the first involving in an F-16 since they began arriving in Ukraine late last month. Ukraine has announced that one of a handful of F-16 fighter jets given by its Western allies to fight Russia’s invasion crashed while repelling a major Russian aerial attack. The pilot was killed in the incident, which took place on Monday after Russia launched more than 200 missiles and drones in one of its biggest bombardments of the war. It is the first reported destruction of an F-16 in Ukraine, and comes just weeks after Kyiv began taking delivery of the planes. At least six of the aircraft are believed to have been delivered. “F-16 fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were used to repel a missile attack on the territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, along with units of anti-aircraft missile troops,” the Ukrainian army said. It added that communication with the F-16 was lost as the planes approached their next target. “As it turned out later, the aircraft crashed, killing the pilot,” the military said. The statement did not name the pilot, but a unit of Ukraine’s air force said one of its pilots, Oleksiy Mes, had died in a crash on Monday. “On 26 August, while repelling a Russian massive combined missile and air strike, Oleksiy destroyed three cruise missiles and one attack drone,” Ukraine’s Western air command unit said. “Oleksiy saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles. Unfortunately, at the cost of his own life,” it added. Investigation under way Mes, known by his call sign Moonfish, travelled to the US as part of Ukraine’s efforts to convince the United States and other NATO allies to send F-16s. When I met with Ukraine pilots Juice (left) and Moonfish (right) I had a sick feeling they wouldn’t make it through the war. Juice died in Aug 2023, Moonfish died on Monday. They fought like hell for Ukraine, and the F16. Nickel on the grass men. Slava Ukrainii pic.twitter.com/uErBmyQGBa — Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@AdamKinzinger) August 29, 2024 The US approved the plan in 2023 and the first aircraft arrived in Kyiv in late July. Belgium, Denmark the Netherlands and Norway have committed to providing Ukraine with more than 60 F-16s. Russia’s jet fleet, however, is about 10 times bigger. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence opened an investigation into Monday’s crash. A US defence official told the Reuters news agency that the crash did not appear to be the result of Russian fire, and possible causes from pilot error to mechanical failure were being investigated. Russia has continued its aerial bombardment of Ukraine since Monday’s attack. On Thursday, Ukraine’s air force said air defences stopped two out of five Russian missiles and 60 of the 74 Shahed drones that were fired. It said the 14 other drones are presumed to have fallen before reaching their target. Authorities in the capital, Kyiv, said the debris of destroyed drones fell in three districts of the city, but there were no injuries. Ukraine says it needs at least 130 F-16s to neutralise Russian air power. F-16s can fly up to twice the speed of sound and have a maximum range of 3,200 kilometres (more than 2,000 miles). They can also fire modern weapons used by NATO countries. Adblock test (Why?)
Donald Trump promises free IVF for women, criticises six-week abortion ban
Republican presidential candidate’s comments latest bid to present a moderate image on reproductive issues. Donald Trump has pledged to make in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment free for all women and criticised a six-week abortion ban in Florida, the latest bid by the Republican to rebrand himself as a defender of reproductive rights. Speaking at a campaign stop on Thursday, Trump said he would require the government or insurance companies to cover all costs for IVF if elected to a second term as president in November. “Because we want more babies, to put it very nicely,” Trump told supporters in Potterville, Michigan, a key battleground state. “But the IVF treatments are very expensive,” the Republican Party candidate added. “It’s very hard for many people to do it, and to get it. But I’ve been in favour of IVF right from the beginning.” Trump did not elaborate on how he would fund the plans. Trump also said he would allow new parents to deduct “major newborn expenses” from their taxes if re-elected. In an interview with NBC News earlier on Thursday, Trump said that a six-week limit on abortion signed by the Republican Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis is “too short” and there should be “more time”. Trump also appeared to suggest that he would vote in favour of an upcoming ballot measure in Florida to guarantee a right to an abortion until foetal viability, although a campaign adviser later said the former president had not revealed whether he would support the measure. Trump’s comments come as he seeks to moderate Republicans’ image on reproductive access, which has been cited as a drag on the party’s standing among women. On Friday, Trump, who appointed three of the US Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion, said in a post on his Truth Social platform that his administration would be “great for women and their reproductive rights”. Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party candidate, has repeatedly cast Trump as a threat to women’s rights, including access to abortion, birth control and fertility treatments. Addressing supporters in the swing state of Georgia on Thursday, Harris reiterated her warning that Trump would sign a nationwide abortion ban in office. “Why don’t they trust women? Well, we trust women! And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law,” she said. Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, on Saturday told NBC News that Trump would veto a national abortion ban if sent to his desk by Congress. Opinion polls suggest that Trump has lost support among women voters since the vice president replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic contender. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday, Harris led Trump by 13 percentage points among women, up from a nine-point lead in July. While Trump’s effort to present a moderate image on reproductive issues could boost his appeal in some quarters, it risks alienating religious and anti-abortion voters, who make up a significant portion of the Republican base. “It’s a problem for Trump that after the speech which he wanted to settle the issue, he is, week by week, making his position on abortion more liberal, pulling the floorboards out from under his pro-life supporters and making them feel like he won’t stop,” Michael Brendan Dougherty, a writer for the conservative National Review, said in a post on X on Thursday. Adblock test (Why?)
Why Denmark denied India’s extradition request for Niels Holck? How is he linked to 1995 Purulia arms drop case?
The court ruled that sending Holck to India would violate Denmark’s extradition act due to a risk that he would be subjected to treatment in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights
Trump campaign slams Harris as ‘still a San Francisco radical’ after CNN interview
The Trump-Vance campaign released a statement Thursday night following Vice President Kamala Harris’ first media interview since becoming the Democratic nominee for president, calling her a “San Francisco radical” and highlighting aspects of her record that were not discussed in the interview. “[Harris] said her values ‘have not changed’ three separate times. She’s still a San Francisco radical,” the campaign said. Among other things, the Trump-Vance campaign said that CNN’s Dana Bash did not bring up Harris’ history of supporting “ending cash bail for violent criminals, fundraising for the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which freed rioters,” her “vote for tie-breaking vote for American Rescue Plan, which economists say fueled inflation,” and her “support for closing immigration detention centers and freeing thousands of criminals into American neighborhoods.” “[Harris] spoke for just over 16 minutes and didn’t even address the crime crisis in this nation. She spent a mere 3 minutes and 25 seconds talking about the economy and 2 minutes and 36 seconds talking about immigration,” the statement said. KAMALA HARRIS OFFERS VAGUE ‘DAY 1’ OVAL OFFICE PLAN IN CNN INTERVIEW: ‘A NUMBER OF THINGS’ During her interview, Harris said she believes Americans are ready to “turn the page” on former President Donald Trump. She also defended her work as the appointed border czar for the Biden administration and that her work “resulted in a number of benefits.” “The root causes work that I did as vice president that I was asked to do by the president has actually resulted in a number of benefits, including historic investments by American businesses in that region, the number of immigrants coming from that region has actually reduced since we began that work,” she said. ON DODGING THE MEDIA, KAMALA HARRIS ‘OWES RESPONSES’ TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, SAYS CAMPAIGN ADVISER “When I look at the aspirations, the goals, the ambitions of the American people, I think that people are ready for a new way forward, in a way that generations of Americans have been fueled by, by hope and by optimism. I think, sadly, in the last decade, we have had in the former president, someone who has really been pushing an agenda, and in an environment that is about diminishing the character and the strength of who we are as Americans — really dividing our nation. And I think people are ready to turn the page on that,” Harris said. ‘WHATEVER’: DEMOCRATS REACT TO KAMALA HARRIS’ LACK OF INTERVIEWS This was in response to what she would accomplish on day one of a Harris presidency, which Bash later had to press for more detail. Harris’ most detailed plans revealed in the Thursday night interview included a $6,000 child tax credit – similar to what the Trump-Vance campaign earlier had announced as a policy plan – and a $25,000 tax credit for first-time homeowners.
Top 5 moments from Kamala Harris’ first interview as Dem nominee: ‘I will not ban fracking’
Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for her first interview with the media since rising to the top of the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket, shedding light on President Biden’s call announcing he was dropping out of the race, as well as defending her recent policy flip-flops. Harris rose to the top of the ticket after Biden dropped out of the race last month following his disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump in June. The debate, which included Biden tripping over his words and losing his train of thought, opened the floodgates to traditional Democratic allies of the president joining conservatives in sounding the alarm over Biden’s mental acuity and 81 years of age. The highly anticipated sit-down marks the first interview Harris has held in 39 days, when she became the presumptive nominee. Harris has largely avoided the media since ascending the Democratic ticket, only rarely answering media questions while on the campaign trail and holding no press conferences. Harris was joined by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for the pre-taped CNN interview that aired Thursday evening. TRUMP, VANCE CONTINUE TO HAMMER HARRIS FOR ‘COPYING’ THEIR POLICIES Following Harris’ first sit-down interview with the media since ascending the ticket, Fox News Digital compiled the top five moments from the Savannah, Georgia, interview as the election cycle comes down to its final months. Harris was asked twice about her “day one” agenda, but gave overarching answers instead of responding with a specific executive order or directive. “The voters are really eager to hear what your plans are. If you are elected, what would you do on day one in the White House?” Bash asked Harris. “Well, there are a number of things. I will tell you first and foremost one of my highest priorities is to do what we can to support and strengthen the middle class. When I look at the aspirations, the goals, the ambitions of the American people, I think that people are ready for a new way forward in a way that generations of Americans have been fueled by — by hope and by optimism.,” Harris responded. “I think sadly in the last decade, we have had in the former president someone who has really been pushing an agenda and an environment that is about diminishing the character and the strength of who we are as Americans — really dividing our nation. And I think people are ready to turn the page on that. “So what would you do? Day one?” Bash pressed. “Day one, it’s gonna be about one, implementing my plan for what I call an opportunity economy. I’ve already laid out a number of proposals in that regard, which include what we’re gonna do to bring down the cost of everyday goods, what we’re gonna do to invest in America’s small businesses, what we’re gonna do to invest in families,” Harris said. “For example, extending the child tax credit to $6,000 for families for the first year of their child’s life to help them buy a car seat, to help them buy baby clothes, a crib. There’s the work that we’re gonna do that is about investing in the American family around affordable housing, a big issue in our country right now. So there are a number of things on day one.” ‘SICKENING’: VP HARRIS SLAMMED BY SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIMS’ FAMILIES OVER RECENTLY UNEARTHED COMMENTS Harris doubled down in the interview that she would not ban fracking if elected, claiming she made “clear” where she stood on fracking during the 2020 election. “No, and I made that clear on the debate stage in 2020 that I would not ban fracking. As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking,” Harris said. Before Harris dropped her bid for president in 2019 and joined President Biden’s ticket, she said during a CNN town hall “there’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking” on her first day in office. Harris was asked about fracking during her 2020 vice presidential debate against then-Vice President Mike Pence but did not reveal her position on fracking, instead saying Biden would not ban fracking. Fox News Digital reviewed a transcript of the 2020 vice presidential debate and found “fracking” was mentioned nine times, with Harris using the word twice. “Joe Biden will not end fracking. He has been very clear about that,” Harris said during the debate in 2020 cycle. “I will repeat, and the American people know that Joe Biden will not ban fracking. That is a fact. That is a fact,” she added during another portion of the debate. Gov. Walz attempted to blame his grammar when asked about his prior comments that he wants to ban guns like the ones he “carried in war,” even though he never saw combat during his time in the Army National Guard. “The country is just starting to get to know you,” Bash noted before asking him about his 2018 remarks. “I want to ask you a question about how you described your service in the National Guard. You said that you carried weapons in war, but you have never deployed, actually, in a war zone. A campaign official said that you misspoke. Did you?” Walz responded: “Well, first of all, I’m incredibly proud. I’ve done 24 years of wearing the uniform of this country. Equally proud of my service in a public school classroom, whether it’s Congress or — or the governor. My record speaks for itself, but I think people are coming to get to know me. I — I speak like they do. I speak candidly. I wear my emotions on my sleeves, and I speak especially passionately about — about our children being shot in schools and around — around guns.” Bash again asked if he misspoke, sparking Walz to admit he did while citing his “grammar.” “Yeah, I said — we were talking about in this case, this was after a school shooting, the ideas of carrying
Kamala Harris offers vague ‘Day 1’ Oval Office plan in CNN interview: ‘A number of things’
Vice President Kamala Harris, in her first media interview since taking over the top of the Democratic ticket roughly 40 days ago, said she had “a number of things” in mind for day one priorities should she take the Oval Office but didn’t divulge much in the way of specifics. She did say she believes Americans are ready to “turn the page” on former President Donald Trump. “The voters are really eager to hear what your plans are. If you are elected, what would you do on day one in the White House,” CNN’s Dana Bash asked Harris, who was flanked by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. “Well, there are a number of things I will tell you. First and foremost, one of my highest priorities is to do what we can to support and strengthen the middle class,” Harris said. HARRIS CLAIMS SHE ‘MADE CLEAR’ HER POSITION ON FRACKING IN 2020 – TRANSCRIPT SHOWS ANOTHER STORY “When I look at the aspirations, the goals, the ambitions of the American people, I think that people are ready for a new way forward, in a way that generations of Americans have been fueled by, by hope and by optimism. I think, sadly, in the last decade, we have had in the former president, someone who has really been pushing an agenda, and in an environment that is about diminishing the character and the strength of who we are as Americans — really dividing our nation. And I think people are ready to turn the page on that,” Harris replied. “So, what would you do? Day one?” Bash pressed. To which Harris said, its going to be about one implementing my plan for what I call an opportunity economy.” “I’ve already laid out a number of proposals in that regard, which include what we’re going to do to bring down the cost of everyday goods, what we’re going to do to invest in America’s small businesses, what we’re going to do to invest in families,” Harris said. ON DODGING THE MEDIA, KAMALA HARRIS ‘OWES RESPONSES’ TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, SAYS CAMPAIGN ADVISER “For example, extending the child tax credit to $6,000 for families for the first year of their child’s life, to help them buy a car seat, to help them buy baby clothes, a crib,” she said. Notably, extending the child tax credit, though it differs slightly, was first a policy announcement by the Trump campaign. “There’s the work that we’re going to do that is about investing in the American family around affordable housing, a big issue in our country right now. So there are a number of things on day one,” Harris stated. Later in the roughly 26-minute, pre-taped interview, Harris said one of her proposals included a tax credit of $25,000 for first-time home buyers. ‘WHATEVER’: DEMOCRATS REACT TO KAMALA HARRIS’ LACK OF INTERVIEWS “What we need to do to bring down the cost of housing. My proposal includes what would be a tax credit of $25,000 for first-time home buyers, so they can just have enough to put a down payment on a home, which is part of the American dream and their aspiration. But do it in a way that allows them to actually get on the path to achieving that goal and that dream,” she said. Walz, for his part, said he is “excited” about Harris’ agenda. “As I said, the idea of inspiring America to what can be and I think many of these things that the vice president’s proposing are, are things that we share in values,” he said.
DGCA places SpiceJet under ‘enhanced surveillance’, puts Akasa Air, Air India Express on alert due to…
By placing SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will carry out increased spot checks and night surveillance of the carrier.
Harris claims she ‘made clear’ her position on fracking in 2020 – transcript shows another story
Vice President Kamala Harris doubled down in her first interview since ascending to the top of the Democratic presidential ticket that she would not ban fracking if elected, claiming she made “clear” where she stood on fracking during the 2020 election. “No, and I made that clear on the debate stage in 2020 that I would not ban fracking. As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking,” Harris said. Before Harris dropped her bid for president in 2019 and joined President Biden’s ticket, she said in a CNN town hall “there’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking” on her first day in office. “And starting with what we can do on day one around public lands, right?” she continued. “And then there has to be legislation, but, yes, that’s something I’ve taken on in California. I have a history of working on this issue and to your point we have to just acknowledge that the residual impact of fracking is enormous in terms of the health and safety of communities.” ON DODGING THE MEDIA, KAMALA HARRIS ‘OWES RESPONSES’ TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, SAYS CAMPAIGN ADVISER CNN host Dana Bash asked Harris about her 2019 remarks, sparking Harris to respond that she was “clear” on fracking during her run as Biden’s vice presidential pick. “In 2020, I made very clear where I stand. We are in 2024, and I’ve not changed that position, although I’ve gone forward. I kept my word, and I will keep my word,” Harris continued. ‘WHATEVER’: DEMOCRATS REACT TO KAMALA HARRIS’ LACK OF INTERVIEWS “Let’s be clear. My values have not changed. I believe it is very important that we take seriously what we must do to guard against what is a clear crisis in terms of the climate. And to do that, we can do what we have accomplished thus far. The Inflation Reduction Act — what we have done to invest, by my calculation, over… a trillion dollars over the next 10 years, investing in a clean energy economy. What we’ve already done: creating over 300,000 new clean energy jobs,” she continued. Harris was asked about fracking during her 2020 vice presidential debate against then-Vice President Mike Pence, but did not reveal her position on fracking, instead saying Biden would not ban fracking. Fox News Digital reviewed a transcript of the 2020 vice presidential debate, and found “fracking” was mentioned nine times, with Harris using the word twice. “Joe Biden will not end fracking. He has been very clear about that,” Harris said during the debate in 2020 cycle. “I will repeat and the American people know that Joe Biden will not ban fracking. That is a fact. That is a fact,” she added during another portion of the debate. Harris was joined by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during the interview, which comes 68 days before Election Day. Harris has largely aovided the media since rising to the top of the ticker after Biden dropped out of the race last month. The CNN interview marks her first sit-down interview with the media, while she has not held a press conference in 39 days, when she first emerged as the presumptive nominee. Harris traveled to Chicago last week, where she formally accepted her party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
Trump pledges universal coverage for IVF treatment ‘because we want more babies’
Former President Trump pledged during a campaign rally in Michigan Thursday that if he wins a second term, he would mandate free in vitro fertilization treatment for women. “I’m announcing today in a major statement that under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment,” Trump told the crowd at Alro Steel in Potterville, Michigan. “Because we want more babies, to put it nicely.” IVF treatments are notoriously expensive and can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a single round. Many women require multiple rounds, and there is no guarantee of success. “And for the same reason, we will also allow new parents to deduct major newborn expenses from their taxes,” Trump said. TRUMP ‘RESPECTFULLY’ HONORED FALLEN TROOPS AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY AMID ALTERCATION REPORT: VETERAN Trump’s announcement, which was short on details, comes after the Republican nominee has faced intense scrutiny from Democrats for his role in appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, sending the issue of abortion back to the states. Trump has tried to present himself as moderate on the issue, going as far as declaring himself “very strong on women’s reproductive rights.” In an interview with NBC before Thursday’s rally, Trump signaled support for changing Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which limits the procedure before many women even know they are pregnant. Trump, in the interview, did not explicitly say how he plans to vote on the ballot measure when he casts his vote this fall. But he repeated his past criticism that the measure, signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, is too restrictive. “I think the six weeks is too short. It has to be more time,” he said. “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.” Trump had previously called DeSantis’ decision to sign the bill a “terrible mistake.”