When Claire realised she needed protection from a former partner, the warning she received was stark. Black Friday Sale Subscribe Now! Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue "If you go down this pathway, don't be surprised if the abuse gets worse. Don't be surprised if his behaviour towards you gets worse," she says police and lawyers told her about starting civil proceedings. "But you know, just call us. We're only a phone call away." The feeling of security a court-issued family violence order initially gave her was fleeting. "It doesn't really give you any safety. It's just words at the end of the day. So, you just are living in this constant state of fear," she tells ACM. Like Claire, Olivia's order doesn't make her feel any safer from a man she fears so much she has fled the ACT multiple times during civil and criminal proceedings. "What it did was made me feel like that was now the highest risk time," she says about the order being served. Thousands marched to Parliament House in April in the wake of Australian women dying at the hands of men. Picture by Keegan Carroll, Shutterstock Claire and Olivia's cases are, in many ways, similar examples of family violence. The pair have feared for the safety of their children and shared crisis services, and both describe the court orders purportedly protecting them as "just a piece of paper". They are also both referred to using pseudonyms for their safety and because identifying parties involved in protection order proceedings is illegal in the ACT. Messages, threats, murder Family violence order breaches are frequent in the territory and range from overt to surreptitious. They can be frighteningly creative, intimidating and, in some cases, fatal. Acts of violence, letters, stalking, deliveries, threats, notes, phone calls, bank transfer messages, or even a Spotify playlist have all been used to terrify victims who sought a legal form of security. One such order failed to stop a man from sending his ex-partner almost 1000 messages and threatening her life with a hunting knife . Another local abuser ignored the order his ex-wife obtained when he sent her 290 messages in one day and threatened to share a video of the pair having sex. In August, a serial perpetrator was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court for raping his former partner only hours after being released from jail. Justice David Mossop described the NSW apprehended domestic violence order in place designed to protect that territory victim as "completely ineffective". An order also didn't stop a man from sending his ex-partner pipe bomb and napalm-related threats, or an image of himself defiantly burning the legal document. Nor did the court's protection prevent Marcus Rappel from forcing his way into Tara Costigan's home and murdering her with an axe as she fed their newborn baby . A judge found the horrific attack was his retaliation to the interim order granted the previous day. Tara Costigan, who was murdered a day after being granted a family violence order. Picture supplied On the frontline, ACT police attended 3352 family violence incidents last financial year. Of the 1053 related apprehensions made, being any action commencing legal proceedings by charging someone, about 40 per cent of those people had been previously apprehended for family violence. This two-part series gives a voice to those whose accounts of abuse have been heard and vindicated by the courts but who feel let down, marginalised and left to fend for themselves by the criminal justice system. 'Just a piece of paper' Before splitting up with her high school sweetheart, Claire believed she was in a good marriage with a supportive and loving man. Looking back, she says: "I was 100 per cent in an abusive - emotionally abusive, financially abusive - relationship." "I see it now clear as day." After they separated, his communication turned into abusive text messages, berating calls and veiled threats. "The mask came off," she says, and she was eventually granted a family violence order after presenting the man's conduct to a court. The ACT Magistrates Court. Picture by Karleen Minney It would take police nearly two months to serve the order due to inter-jurisdictional complications. "Obviously I felt a bit of relief when I had the [order] granted. It was the first time I'd ever been in a situation like that and I thought, 'OK, I will feel safe from now on'," Claire recalls. "But of course, that's not the case. At the end of the day, it's just a piece of paper. It really doesn't do much in terms of stopping the behaviour. "More often than not they know that, they understand that, and they continue to do it." But despite the order being granted, Claire claims her ex-husband frequently breaches its conditions or purposefully hovers around its edges. "There have been occasions where he's been only a couple of metres away from me and he thinks it's quite funny," she says. "He will regularly staunch or stare at me or intimidate me, flex his muscles during drop off. And he does this in front of our kids - they've commented on it before." Claire believes it's the man's way of showing he can still scare and control her despite a court finding that type of behaviour warranted protection. ACT Magistrates can deal with dozens of family violence cases in a day. Picture by Karleen Minney "Breach left, right and centre - each time that has happened and nothing has been done. It emboldens the perpetrator," she says. "They already believe they're untouchable, and they can do whatever they want, and there are no consequences." 'You're on your own' Claire says police haven't taken alleged order breaches seriously and, for example, told her the man "could spin that and say that's not what actually happened". She recalls an occasion when her child joked about killing her if she didn't read them a book. The child told her they heard the chilling words from her ex-husband and been asked if they, too, wanted to "kill mummy". But it was the man's word against hers, Claire says police told her, and their child was too young to be considered a credible witness. April's National Rally Against Violence in Canberra. Picture by Keegan Carroll More recently, her ex-husband walked by her at an after-school event against the distance terms of the order and in sight of a witness who provided a supportive statement. But Claire says an officer told her they couldn't charge the man with a breach because he had simply taken "the most logical" route to his car. "This is the simplest example of why women don't trust police and why [orders] mean nothing," she says. "The overwhelming conclusion I have gotten from the court system - from the child protection systems, from the family violence systems, from the policing systems - is that unless you're experiencing the absolute worst of the worst, and even then, we probably won't help you." Claire was fortunate to be supported, both emotionally and financially, by her family. But she says many women aren't so lucky and "are essentially dropped on their asses and have to start over". "I think a lot of people start the process and go, 'This is f---ed, there's no point'," she says. "There is no point because nobody actually does anything and you're kind of left on your own to figure it out." 'Psychological torture of waiting' Like Claire, Olivia is disillusioned with the system after her former partner was convicted of multiple breaches of a protection order. It took police over a week and a half to serve him with that order and for it to take effect. Olivia acknowledges demands on the system but says the anxiety of waiting was unbearable during a time of extreme stress, change and uncertainty. The victim had already fled interstate by the time her former life partner was served, an action she was warned would increase her risk. The ACT Magistrates Court, where family violence orders are sought. Picture by Karleen Minney "The psychological torture of waiting, knowing that your risk could go through the roof at any minute, and you're expecting it ASAP," she says. "Every day you're just waiting for the phone call and you don't know when it's going to come." Olivia says the only thing the order being served did was give her more official recourse and force police to take her seriously if the man did something that was "not lethal". "But when your fear is that it's going to be lethal, it doesn't exactly do much for that. Does it?" she says. She escaped the relationship after making a startling and confronting discovery about her partner. "I went to the lawyer, and they called in [the Domestic Violence Crisis Service], and I didn't go home again," she says. "And then [my child] didn't go home again, so we didn't get to bring anything with us. We had what we were wearing when we left and then we went into hiding, effectively." An application form for an ACT family violence order. Picture supplied Olivia was later forced to wait multiple days before she could make a formal statement about the order's breaches and the man could subsequently be arrested. Coercive control Since leaving her former partner, Olivia and her child have been frequently displaced. "Relocating permanently, relocating temporarily, is all part of the considerations with safety planning and a very real aspect impacting people in this situation," she says. "[People incur] additional expenses with travel or the disruption to your life, to children's lives, to education, to your social connections, to your family, to your pets, to your home." According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 38 per cent of clients using specialist homelessness services in 2022-23 had experienced family and domestic violence. But Olivia says there is another part of her experience not getting enough coverage in the national conversation around violence. She believes there is a poor community understanding of coercive control, a pattern of abusive behaviour designed to undermine another person's autonomy. "I spent years in this relationship asking, 'Is this coercive control?' I know logically and rationally it is," she says. "But you don't trust your judgement." Olivia says perpetrators like her ex can hide their abuse from everyone outside the relationship, including police. ACT Policing says while coercive control is not criminalised in the ACT, it acknowledges it as a 'concerning behaviour and a risk factor'. Picture by Karleen Minney "He will present as very polite, very agreeable. And then he will manipulate that," she says. While a protection order can be sought over the controlling conduct in the ACT, the jurisdiction has not yet made coercive control a standalone criminal offence. Some local advocates believe the territory government should wait for greater community understanding before introducing laws , while others say the ACT is needlessly falling behind . But for Olivia, the "law is not good enough" and the territory government needs to criminalise coercive control as soon as possible because "lives are at stake". Based on her experience, the victim questions whether those working in the justice system are appropriately trained. "I just don't know that the police understand the perpetrator could completely believe they're the victim, wholeheartedly, genuinely believe they're the victim," she says. "They're going to behave like a victim, in a sense. But it's only with the specialist knowledge around coercive control you're going to pick up things in the way they present their victim side." An ACT Policing spokesperson said all new officers undertake an extensive domestic and family violence training package delivered with the assistance of external non-governmental organisations and academics. "This package educates new police on coercive control and equips police to identify and respond to coercive control in domestic and family violence situations," they said. Police are preparing to launch a new domestic and family violence investigations unit . "New investigators, amongst other things, will also receive training on trauma-informed policing methodologies," they said. "ACT Policing expects to take this opportunity to further enhance the training it provides all police on misidentification." 'Low risk' But Olivia also believes a lack of information about her experience and the nuances around coercive control affected the community-based jail sentence her perpetrator received. "The court deemed him low risk of reoffending," she says, also noting the magistrate's focus on the man's lack of criminal history. "I was horrified by that. On what planet could someone possibly make that comment?" DVCS chief executive officer Sue Webeck. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong Earlier this year, Domestic Violence Crisis Service chief executive Sue Webeck said she hoped the territory was listening to those harmed by the justice system. "There is a really big disconnect at the moment between what we as a society hope happens to keep people in our community safe versus what the courts and policing do and respond to," she told this masthead. "You cannot change an institutional culture from within the institution. "You need to bring outside frontline expertise into the conversation." Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Domestic Violence Crisis Service 6280 0900; Lifeline 13 11 14; MensLine 1300 789 978; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Tim Piccione Court reporter Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au. Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au. More from Court and Crime 'Just a piece of paper': Domestic violence orders don't make Claire and Olivia safe 54m ago Young people being targeted by sexual harassment predators Yes, a small number die from vaccines. We can't let it play into anti-vax hands Man caught on CCTV allegedly robbing Manuka Coles during minute of silence Parents' joy as mementoes of dead son are returned after grave theft Racism sadly reminiscent of my experience finally called outDemocrats Frustrated Over Joe Biden Reversing Course and Pardoning His Son

PTI’s reality check Such fall and such rise within 24 hours would constitute unimaginable dramatic shift in the affairs of country While an anxious nation was watching developments taking place in Islamabad on Tuesday, something significant happened in Karachi. The venue was the Pakistan Stock Exchange where the KSE-100 index suffered the biggest single-day plunge in its history. Equities, as they say, fell like ninepins. Obviously, the political situation had suddenly triggered a rush of panic among investors and businessmen. The market dropped by 3.6 per cent or 3,506 points. This means that the situation had become drastic, portending dire consequences. So, what was actually happening? But wait. The very next day, on Wednesday, the market recovered. Not just that, the benchmark index rose by 4.96 per cent or 4,696.09 points. And this marked the largest single-day surge in the index’s history. Such a fall and such a rise within the space of 24 hours would constitute an unimaginable dramatic shift in the affairs of a country. It would be hard for a writer of fiction to imagine a plot to justify this transformation. Well, we know what transpired around D-Chowk in Islamabad during the long night between Tuesday and Wednesday. The large procession of PTI protesters that had bravely breached the Red Zone was routed by the security forces when an operation was launched after nightfall. Its leaders, Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi quickly left the scene, and the protesters ran in confusion for safety. There is, of course, a story to tell about the entire encounter. The D-Day for the PTI’s march on Islamabad was set on November 24. In real terms, a battle was in the offing between the multitudes that the PTI was planning to mobilise and the security forces of the government. The PTI leaders boasted like boxers do before stepping in the ring. It was really meant to be a very serious confrontation, mainly because the PTI had named it the final, ‘do or die’ campaign to, in a sense, topple the present government and win the release of Imran Khan. Violence was inherent in this scheme. And it was violence that settled the score late on Tuesday night. Not unexpectedly, the PTI, not able to mount the show it had promised, lost the battle. One measure of this is the in-fighting that is taking place in the top ranks of the party. Thankfully, the heavens did not fall. There certainly was a lot of violence and the PTI leaders have claimed many deaths – the numbers being in dispute – of their activists from firing from the security forces. But the kind of upheaval that many observers had anticipated did not occur. In fact, the stage for long had been set for a scenario of national disaster if Imran Khan were not to be released and actions against the PTI were not retracted. I admit to also being very depressed about the overall political state of affairs. It was against this backdrop that the PTI decided to go for a final showdown with the government, primarily to put pressure to secure Imran Khan’s release. The nation held its breath. Let me give you some idea of how prominent analysts were looking at it. On Wednesday, I read these words by a respected columnist (penned surely before Tuesday night’s denouement): “Most worrisome, however, is that any direct confrontation between the protesters and the security forces could lead to a civil war-like situation with disastrous consequences for the safety and unity of the country”. A civil war? For the moment, the main strife is playing out in the PTI itself. Bushra Bibi, who is believed to have led Imran Khan to power with her supernatural tactics, is at the centre of wrangling over how the battle was lost. She had revealed her credentials when she said those words, alluding to Saudi Arabia. PTI supporters are at a loss to understand the setback that the party has suffered. Where were the millions who were supposed to have joined the march? Anyhow, what lessons do we have here about the politics of agitation? Was it ever realistic for the PTI to assume that it could stage a social revolution with the massive popular support it has? And, for that matter, what revolutionary ideas have the party articulated to lead the way for a brighter future? Not being able to adequately sum up the events of this week, I believe that this has been a sobering experience for all of us. This kind of confrontation, reflective of the intense polarisation that has polluted our politics, makes it even more difficult to resolve the fundamental issues that have made us so miserable. All the time that the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was playing his politics, sectarian violence continued to rage in Kurram and there were more killings despite a ceasefire. As for the preemptive measures adopted by the authorities to block the march of the protesters, the daily lives of the citizens of Islamabad and other cities were disrupted for days. Were there no less painful and more inventive ways to deal with the threat of the march and the ‘dharna’? A lot is happening on various fronts in the wake of Tuesday night’s retreat of the PTI’s march. PTI workers are incensed by the absence of many leaders from the march and the lack of courage of those who were there. Most of them are baffled by what has happened. There is a lot of confusion about the reported willingness of Imran Khan, who was allowed visits by party leaders in the early phase of the march to divert the march from D-Chowk. It seemed that Bushra Bibi insisted on proceeding towards D-Chowk, with dreadful consequences. Typically, there are surprising variations in statements made by PTI leaders regarding the deaths of PTI workers caused by security forces. Figures range from eight to that outlandish allegation of 278 deaths by Sardar Khosa. On its part, the government has rejected all these claims. Imran Khan’s charismatic appeal may be intact but the party, in its functional aspects, has broken. Can it be rebuilt as a less volatile outfit? The writer is a senior journalist. He can be reached at: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.comWASHINGTON — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report from the Labor Department report showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. Hourly wages rose 0.4% from October to November and 4% from a year earlier — both solid figures and slightly higher than forecasters had expected. The November employment report provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. The job market’s gradual slowdown is, in part, a result of the high interest rates the Federal Reserve engineered in its drive to tame inflation. The Fed jacked up interest rates a total of 11 times in 2022 and 2023. Defying predictions, the economy kept growing despite much higher borrowing rates for consumers and businesses. But since early this year, the job market has been slowing. Thomas Simons, U.S. economist at Jefferies, wrote in a commentary that the recovery from October’s strikes and hurricanes likely boosted last month’s payrolls by 60,000, suggesting that the job market is strong enough to absorb most jobseekers but not enough to raise worries about inflation. The healthy gain of 227,000 payroll jobs in November was derived from a Labor Department survey of employers. A separate survey of households, which determines the unemployment rate, looked weaker: The ranks of the unemployed rose by 161,000. And the number of Americans who said they either had a job or were looking for one fell for a second straight month. Economists also noted that the November job gains were narrow: Just three categories of employers — health care and social assistance; leisure and hospitality; and government — accounted for 70% of the added jobs. And the 22,000 jobs that factories gained in November were boosted by the end of strikes at Boeing and elsewhere that restored many workers to their employers’ payrolls. Retailers, by contrast, shed 28,000 jobs. “I don’t think we should be misled by the solid number of 227,000,’’ said Julia Pollak, chief economist at the employment firm ZipRecruiter. Pollak noted that averaging the October and November job gains amounts to a modest 132,000 per month. “This report offers very little evidence of a labor market rebound,’’ she said. Still, Americans as a whole have been enjoying unusual job security. This week, the government reported that layoffs fell to just 1.6 million in October, below the lowest levels in the two decades that preceded the pandemic. At the same time, the number of job openings rebounded from a 31⁄2-year low, a sign that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled. The overall economy has remained resilient. The much-higher borrowing costs for consumers and businesses that resulted from the Fed’s rate hikes had been expected to tip the economy into a recession. Instead, the economy kept growing as households continued to spend and employers continued to hire.President-elect Donald Trump’s self-professed affinity for revenge, vindictiveness and retribution might lead a cynic to presume that his plans for steep tariffs on Mexican, Chinese and Canadian imports are aimed at California. The state’s imports and exports exceeded $628 billion last year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Exports created nearly 600,000 jobs in 2021 , according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The freighters floating in and out of the Golden Gate carry roughly $10 billion worth of goods to the Port of San Francisco alone each year, according to estimates from the California Association of Port Authorities. Trump announced last week that on his first day in office he will impose a 25% tariff on all goods entering the U.S. from Mexico and Canada and add an additional 10% to existing tariffs on Chinese imports. China, Mexico and Canada were the state’s biggest, second-biggest and seventh-biggest source of imports in 2023, according to the federal commerce department. Many economists agree that all Americans could experience higher prices . Yet with the potential of retaliatory tariffs, port cities like San Francisco will pay a heavy price. Trump, who lost California by an average of more than 4 million votes in each of the past three elections, has repeatedly berated the state, lamenting when president that it was “going to hell.” It is hard to imagine that he is losing sleep over the price to be paid by those living in a state that has spurned him. Yet, like most assumptions about politics and economics, the reality is far more complicated. While California is home to the nation's busiest ports, the hardest-hit communities will be in the heart of MAGA country — small rural communities such as Fulton, Mississippi and Gibson County, Indiana, where residents voted overwhelmingly for Trump. Fulton, a town of less than 5,000 people in Itawamba County, is located on Mississippi-Alabama border. Trump received nearly 90% of the county’s vote in November. The city sits on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway which flows into the Gulf of Mexico 300 miles to its south and has been a trading center since the 1700s. Today, the region produces metal parts used globally in manufacturing refrigerators as well as piping and other products. More than half of Itawamba County’s economy was based on exports in 2017, according to a Pew Research Center analysis at the time. Only six counties in the nation relied more heavily on international trade at that time than Itawamba. A trade war would hurt San Francisco, which would need to rely even more heavily on economic contributions from tourists, conventioneers and high-tech entrepreneurs. Itawamba County doesn’t have as many options. A similar story could be told about Gibson County, Indiana, where Trump received about 75% of the vote. The county is home to a sprawling Toyota manufacturing plant, mostly for American consumption. However, it also ships thousands of vehicles to Mexico and Canada. Pew estimated in 2017 that more than 40% of its economy was based on foreign trade. None of this diminishes the threat Trump’s tariffs pose to California. From petroleum, automobiles and computer accessories flowing in, to the wine, nuts, rice and computer technology flowing out, trade has long been a pillar of the state’s economy. Some doubt that Trump is serious about imposing the tariffs, suggesting he put them out there only as a bargaining chip to sway countries to crack down on the flow of drugs and immigrants into the U.S. Yet it is hard to not take Trump’s pledge seriously when he repeatedly said on the campaign trail that “tariff’’ is his favorite word, as well as the most beautiful word , in the English language. Trump has shown no affection for California, whose immigration and environmental policies he vows to override, and whose governor he refers to as “Gavin Newscum.” However, as hard as California will feel the effects of his trade policies if enacted, his supporters in MAGA country will feel them even harder. Marc Sandalow is a senior faculty member at the University of California’s Washington Program. He has been writing about California politics from Washington for more than 30 years.Cyclone Fengal made landfall near Puducherry on Saturday evening, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that forced the closure of Chennai’s international airport and stranded travellers, even as thousands of disaster relief and government personnel stood by to mount an emergency response. The cyclone struck the coast at approximately 6:30 PM local time, maintaining its cyclonic storm intensity with wind speeds of 70-80km per hour and gusts up to 90km/hour. Even before the landfall, significant rainfall had already been recorded across the region, with Chennai’s Meenambakkam area receiving 11.4cm and the Nungambakkam area recording 10.4cm. Puducherry and Cuddalore reported 9.5 and 3cm, respectively. The strong winds packed by the tropical storm caused scary moments for at least one flight, an IndiGo jet, which aborted its landing moments before touch down after the pilots appeared to struggle with keeping the aircraft stable. Tamil Nadu minister for revenue and disaster management, KKSSR Ramachandran said there were no immediate reports of a major damage in the aftermath of the cyclone and said related details could be known possibly by Sunday. Three people were electrocuted in different rain-related incidents in Chennai earlier in the day. S Balachandran, additional director general of India Meteorological Department’s Regional Center, noted that the landfall was occurring “close to the Puducherry area” and it moved in a west-southwestward direction between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram. Hospitals and houses were inundated in Chennai and its neighbourhoods as civic authorities said clearing works were on in a ‘war-footing. Officials warned of a storm surge approximately one meter above the astronomical tide, threatening to inundate low-lying areas across north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh coastal districts during landfall. The cyclone’s development has been particularly noteworthy for its unusual progression. M Mohapatra, director general of IMD, provided context for the storm’s unusual path: “Cyclones more frequently impact the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts but Tamil Nadu is also a cyclone prone state,” he explained, referencing recent flooding in Chennai from Cyclone Michaung in early December. The impact on transportation was severe, with Chennai International Airport bearing the brunt of the weather system. Airport authorities announced a complete suspension of operations until 4 am pm Sunday after heavy rains inundated both runways and the taxiway. The suspension, initially planned to last only until 7 p.m. Saturday, was extended following an emergency meeting with IMD officials and stakeholders at 4:30 p.m. The video of the IndiGo flight showed the tricky conditions. The airliner was buffeted by strong winds as it approached the runway, its wings rocking side to side in the turbulent air. Just as the aircraft’s rear landing gear touched, a powerful gust forced its nose sharply upward, prompting pilots to immediately abort landing. HT reached out to IndiGo which did not immediately respond to queries seeking comments. Airport officials said at least 55 flight cancellations and 19 diversions, affecting both domestic and international services. Early in the day, before the complete shutdown, at least 12 flights experienced delays. Officials estimated that over 10,000 passengers have been impacted by the service disruptions, with approximately 1,000 travellers choosing to remain within the airport premises, hoping to secure the first available flights once operations resume. The ripple effects of Chennai’s airport closure spread across the region’s aviation network. Hyderabad airport reported 20 cancelled flights specifically related to services connecting Chennai and Tirupati. Airport authorities have established a team of senior officials to monitor the situation continuously, working to facilitate the earliest possible resumption of operations as meteorological conditions permit. Through social media posts, the airport has advised all passengers to maintain close contact with their respective airlines regarding flight status updates. The storm’s intensification pattern took meteorologists by surprise. While initially forecast to weaken into a deep depression before landfall, Fengal maintained its cyclonic storm intensity throughout the landfall process. The IMD had identified several contributing factors to this strengthening, including the presence of equatorial Rossby waves, Madden Julian Oscillation, and favourable wind conditions in the Bay of Bengal.

Boxing Legend Mosquito Zvenyika Apologises For Exposing Cheating Wife’s Adulterous Affair, Says He Forgives HerTwo charity projects open in Jordan with Kuwaiti fundingIn a world of great need there are more ways to donate money than ever. How should you give?

Experiential retail is making a comeback as brands pivot from traditional sales models to more engaging shopping experiences driven by consumers seeking more meaningful interactions with products and brands. Consider Mastercard , which launched an immersive shopping experience in Fort Langley, British Columbia, that runs through Dec. 15 as part of an initiative to support small businesses. The program features a Mastercard-created storybook, themed storefront displays, and in-store art installations, with participating customers receiving collectible wooden puzzle pieces depicting local landmarks. Meanwhile, to revitalize its century-old brand, La-Z-Boy recently unveiled a new 12,600-square-foot showroom in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood . The store features experiential elements like a Recliner Runway, lifestyle-themed sections and digital customization tools to build a recliner. Getting the Consumer Spend Merchants can stand out in a crowded marketplace by offering different experiences and ways to connect with brands. “I think it’s making a comeback because brands are looking at it as a way to differentiate and draw people in, not because consumers demand it,” Greg Zakowicz , senior eCommerce expert at Omnisend , told PYMNTS. “This difference is why it currently isn’t a standard part of the in-store shopping experience. Brick-and-mortar retail still works because consumers like the tactile experience. Combining that with entertainment and tools like VR that enhance the experience can be beneficial, but I’m not sure it’s sustainable. Stores have tried AR and VR but nothing has yet to really take off. “ While Zakowicz said AR and VR will become a part of the in-store experience for many brands, using that technology is “still a ways away from that. What we may see in the interim are these limited-time experiential stores or setups aimed at drawing people in at certain times of the year or for themed events. From there, brands can analyze what worked and what didn’t and make everyday adjustments accordingly. This concept also allows brands to adjust to constantly shifting consumer trends without being stuck in an outdated store design and concept.” Omnichannel Retail Consumers want unique and engaging shopping experiences, according to Sudip Mazumder , senior vice president and retail industry lead in North America at the digital consultancy Publicis Sapient . “Several key factors are driving this trend,” he said. “Even with the rise of online shopping, many consumers still crave the tangible, physical shopping experience. Experiential retail offers a way for brick-and-mortar stores to differentiate themselves from online competitors. Additionally, today’s shoppers want more than just products; they’re looking for meaningful experiences. ... Physical stores also provide a space for social connection, where community building and social interaction can thrive—something that’s highly valued in the digital age.” Mazumder pointed to pop-up shops, which generate buzz with their unique and temporary nature, and in-store events like workshops and product demonstrations that engage customers and build brand loyalty. “Retailers are also using technology to offer personalized shopping experiences and create immersive environments that transport customers to new worlds,” he said. Immersiv e Shopping A number of brands have implemented experiential retail strategies to capitalize on this trend, creating memorable and engaging customer experiences. Here are some notable examples : Prada has its pop-up café inside Harrods , offering a slice of Milan with its elegant design and high-quality Italia n cuisine. Similarly, H&M has transformed the fitting room experience in Barcelona with a digital holographic mannequin that allows customers to interactively customize outfits. In New York City, Lego’s flagship store showcases towering structures and augmented reality experiences that blend play with technology. Nike capitalizes on major marathons by creating store experiences and merchandise for local running communities. Walmart, Best Buy, and other retailers are also getting into more immersive shopping experiences, melding online and in-store shopping. Combining online and in-store experience dovetails with a growing desire among consumers to have digital shopping experiences in the stores, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence study “ 2024 Global Digital Shopping Index: U.S. Edition ,” created in collaboration with Visa Acceptance Solutions . A third of U.S. shoppers prefer a Click-and-MortarTM experience, blending online and in-store shopping. While 20% use digital tools to enhance in-store visits, 11% opt for online ordering with in-store pickup. Shifting Retail Landscape This focus on creating meaningful interactions aligns with the growing experiential retail trend. However, that’s a term often misunderstood or overused, according to Neil Saunders , managing director of retail at the research firm GlobalData . “Experiential retail is something of a buzz word that is now used very loosely to mean that some kind of value has been added into the process of selling,” Saunders said. “This is often used to differentiate, to drive brand affinity, or to make the customer feel a certain way. It arguably has always been a part of retail. What retailers need to do is align the experience with what the customer wants. Sometimes shoppers don’t want bells and whistles. They just want a reliable, convenient experience. Other times, consumers appreciate something more immersive. The thing to avoid is gimmicky tech or wizardry that isn’t relevant and is being used for the sake of it.”

Eastern states were considered backward earlier I view them as India's growth engine PM ModiENGLEWOOD, Colo. — John Elway says any remorse over bypassing Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL draft is quickly dissipating with rookie Bo Nix's rapid rise, suggesting the Denver Broncos have finally found their next franchise quarterback. Elway said Nix, the sixth passer selected in April's draft, is an ideal fit in Denver with coach Sean Payton navigating his transition to the pros and Vance Joseph's defense serving as a pressure release valve for the former Oregon QB. "We've seen the progression of Bo in continuing to get better and better each week and Sean giving him more each week and trusting him more and more to where last week we saw his best game of the year," Elway said in a nod to Nix's first game with 300 yards and four touchdown throws in a rout of Atlanta. For that performance, Nix earned his second straight NFL Rookie of the Week honor along with the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. "I think the sky's the limit," Elway said, "and that's just going to continue to get better and better." In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, Elway also touted former coach Mike Shanahan's Hall of Fame credentials, spoke about the future of University of Colorado star and Heisman favorite Travis Hunter and discussed his ongoing bout with a chronic hand condition. Elway spent the last half of his decade as the Broncos' GM in a futile search for a worthy successor to Peyton Manning, a pursuit that continued as he transitioned into a two-year consultant role that ended after the 2022 season. "You have all these young quarterbacks and you look at the ones that make it and the ones that don't and it's so important to have the right system and a coach that really knows how to tutelage quarterbacks, and Sean's really good at that," Elway said. "I think the combination of Bo's maturity, having started 61 games in college, his athletic ability and his knowledge of the game has been such a tremendous help for him,'" Elway added. "But also Vance Joseph's done a heck of a job on the defensive side to where all that pressure's not being put on Bo and the offense to score all the time." Payton and his staff have methodically expanded Nix's repertoire and incorporated his speed into their blueprints. Elway lauded them for "what they're doing offensively and how they're breaking Bo into the NFL because it's a huge jump and I think patience is something that goes a long way in the NFL when it comes down to quarterbacks." Elway said he hopes to sit down with Nix at some point when things slow down for the rookie. Nix, whose six wins are one more than Elway had as a rookie, said he looks forward to meeting the man who won two Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame playing career and another from the front office. "He's a legend not only here for this organization, but for the entire NFL," Nix said, adding, "most guys, they would love to have a chat with John Elway, just pick his brain. It's just awesome that I'm even in that situation." Orange Crush linebacker Randy Gradishar joined Elway in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, something Elway called "way, way overdue." Elway suggested it's also long past time for the Hall to honor Shanahan, who won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver with Elway at QB and whose footprint you see every weekend in the NFL because of his expansive coaching tree. Elway called University of Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders "both great athletes." He said he really hopes Sanders gets drafted by a team that will bring him along like the Broncos have done with Nix, and he sees Hunter being able to play both ways in the pros — but not full time. Elway said he thinks Hunter will be primarily a corner in the NFL but with significant contributions on offense: "He's great at both. He's got great instincts, and that's what you need at corner." It's been five years since Elway announced he was dealing with Dupuytren's contracture, a chronic condition that typically appears after age 40 and causes one or more fingers to permanently bend toward the palm. Elway's ring fingers on both hands were originally affected and he said now the middle finger on his right hand is starting to pull forward. So, he'll get another injection of a drug called Xiaflex, which is the only FDA-approved non-surgical treatment, one that he's endorsing in an awareness campaign for the chronic condition that affects 17 million Americans. The condition can make it difficult to do everyday tasks such as shaking hands or picking up a coffee mug. Elway said what bothered him most was "I couldn't pick up a football and I could not imagine not being able to put my hand around a football." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Gus Atkinson claimed a superb hat-trick as England took command of the second Test against New Zealand, knocking over the home side’s tail in style. The Surrey seamer took out Nathan Smith, Matt Henry and Tim Southee with three successive deliveries, the 15th time an English bowler has achieved the feat in Test cricket. Atkinson turned the heat on the Black Caps in his ninth over, racking up three different modes of dismissal to end their innings on 125 and hand the tourists a lead of 155. The 26-year-old uprooted Smith’s middle stump with the third ball of his over, then had Henry backing away from a short ball that he fended to Ben Duckett at gully. Last man Tim Southee stood between Atkinson and a place in the history books but had no answer as the ball came full and straight, smashing his front pad dead in front of middle stump. Southee reviewed the lbw decision in hope more than expectation but England’s celebrations were already well under way. Rod Tucker raised his finger for a second time to seal the deal, with Atkinson registering the 50th Test hat-trick in world cricket – 47 in the men’s game and three in the women’s. The last player to get one was South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj in 2021, with Moeen Ali the most recent to do so for England, against the Proteas at the Oval in 2017. Stuart Broad took two in his career, making Atkinson the 14th England player on the list. Brydon Carse had earlier dismissed Tom Blundell and Will O’Rourke in the space of three deliveries as New Zealand lost their last five batters for 39.Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation. The Republican's announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department. Here's the latest: As incoming White House chief of staff, one of Susie Wiles ’ vexing challenges will be policing the buffet line of powerful interests who want something from Donald Trump. It’s a world she knows well. During Trump’s first presidency, she lobbied for many of them. Trump was first elected on a pledge to “drain the swamp” in Washington. But his transactional approach to the presidency instead ushered in a lobbying boom that showered allies, including Wiles, with lucrative contracts, empowered wealthy business associates and stymied his agenda after his administration was ensnared in a series of influence-peddling scandals. Now, as Trump prepares to return to power , his victory is likely to embolden those who think they can get his ear, raising the prospect that his second administration could face many of the same perils as his first. That will test the ability of Wiles to manage a growing number of high-powered figures — including Trump’s children, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and billionaires like Elon Musk — who will not be dependent on her for access to the president. ▶ Read more about Susie Wiles and her new role Vance accompanied Matt Gaetz in meetings with GOP senators on Wednesday. “I’m extremely grateful for the work Matt put into the nomination process,” the Ohio senator posted on X. “Matt is a patriot, and I look forward to seeing what he does next.” President Joe Biden still believes President-elect Donald Trump is a dangerous figure in U.S. democracy, his top spokesperson said Thursday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “his thinking on that has not changed” even as the Biden White House emphasizes its commitment to the “peaceful transfer of power.” Jean-Pierre told reporters there is no double-speak in Biden’s approach. Biden framed Donald Trump as a “fundamental threat” to the nation’s identity as a democracy and its stability as a global superpower when he defeated Trump in 2020. He did it as a candidate for reelection. He did it again when he dropped out and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. But Jean-Pierre said Biden recognizes the legitimacy of Trump’s election to another term, even if it’s not the result he wanted. “The American people spoke,” she said, adding that Biden wants to be an example of how to respect U.S. elections. That was an opaque reference to Trump’s refusal to accept Biden’s victory in 2020 and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters as Congress met to affirm the results. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says she hasn’t spoken to her designated successor, Karoline Leavitt. Jean-Pierre told reporters gathered Thursday at the White House that she hopes the second Trump administration will be forthright with the public by talking to reporters. Trump’s first White House dramatically curtailed its initial interactions with the White House press corps, and Jean-Pierre said Biden and his staff “worked really hard to bring back the norms” with press briefings and interactions. “We’ve tried to do this in a very respectful way,” she said. Jean-Pierre declined to “speak to what any administration is going to do” in the future, but added that the back-and-forth with the press is part of “what democracy is all about.” In other presidential transition news, Trump is urging federal lawmakers to kill a bill that would protect journalists from having to disclose information about anonymous sources or other records obtained during reporting. The proposal that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, but is pending in the Senate, also bars the government from requesting data from phone or email providers. The bill includes exceptions such as when there’s a reasonable threat of imminent violence or an act of terrorism. As of now, only some states grant absolute protection from disclosing sources or other records. “Republicans must kill this bill!” Trump posted on Truth Social and shared a video from PBS News Hour interviewing the CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalist, Jodie Ginsburg, talking about the proposal. Last month, The Associated Press, along with more than 100 news outlets and organizations, signed a letter authored by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press asking senators to support the bill. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre isn’t commenting on Matt Gaetz withdrawing his nomination as president-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general in the new administration. “We really, truly want to respect the transfer of power,” Jean-Pierre said Thursday during a White House press briefing, explaining her steadfast refusal to comment on Trump personnel moves. But Jean-Pierre nonetheless used the matter to take a subtle jab at how Trump, who was twice indicted by the federal government, has reacted to federal law enforcement. “Look, the president has said when it comes to investigation, that department should be independent. there should be no partisanship. There should be no loyalty to one party or the other,” she said. “The loyalty should be to the Constitution, and the loyalty should be to the rule of law.” Trump has insisted that it was Biden and his lieutenants who weaponized the Justice Department by indicting him for his role in trying to overturn Biden’s 2020 election victory and for hoarding national security documents after Trump left the White House in January 2021. That latter case has been thrown out by a Trump-appointed judge. The former case is still pending. Taken together, there are a striking number of incidents in which potential high-ranking government officials in Trump’s second administration face allegations of sexual abuse. Here’s a look at some of the cases: President-elect Donald Trump: He was found liable by a New York City jury for sexual abuse and defamation and eventually ordered to pay the woman, E. Jean Carroll , $83 million in damages. Pete Hegseth, nominee for secretary of defense: A woman told police she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police the encounter had been consensual and denies wrongdoing. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for secretary of health and human services: A woman who babysat for Kennedy and his second wife told Vanity Fair magazine he groped her in the late 1990s, when she was 23. Kennedy did not deny the allegation, telling a podcast: “I had a very, very rambunctious youth.” He texted the woman an apology after the story was published. Linda McMahon, nominee for secretary of education: A lawsuit filed last month alleges McMahon knowingly enabled sexual exploitation of children by a World Wrestling Entertainment employee as early as the 1980s. She denies the allegations. Elon Musk, Trump’s choice to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency: The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX was accused of sexual misconduct by a flight attendant contracted by SpaceX who worked on his private jet in 2016. He denied the claim. ▶ Read more about the allegations of sexual misconduct Among those who were seen as contenders before Gaetz was picked is former acting attorney general Matt Whitaker , who Trump chose earlier this week to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Other names that were floated as potential attorney general nominees include Jeff Jensen, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. Trump last week chose Todd Blanche , an attorney who led the legal team that defended the Republican at his hush money criminal trial , to serve as the second-highest ranking Justice Department official. Emil Bove, a former federal prosecutor, was chosen to be the principal associate deputy attorney general. An attorney who represents two women who say they were paid by Gaetz for sex says his clients are “relieved to have this chapter behind them.” “They’re grateful for the opportunity to move forward with their lives,” said Joel Leppard, whose clients testified before the House Ethics Committee. “They’re hoping that this brings final closure for all the parties involved.” Leppard revealed earlier this week details about his clients’ testimony to House Ethics Committee to release its report on the Gaetz investigation. Leppard said his clients were paid a total of $10,000 by the congressman. One of his clients testified that she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in 2017, while he was in Congress. Though Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration for attorney general, he isn’t Trump’s only appointee in hot water. A woman told police she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report made public late Wednesday. Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and Trump’s nominee to be defense secretary, told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing, the report said. Earlier today, Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” ▶ Read more about the allegations against Hegseth In his Nov. 13 resignation letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gaetz said, “I hereby resign, as United States Representatives for Florida’s First Congressional District, effective immediately, and I do not intend to take the oath of office for the same office in the 119th Congress, to pursue the position of Attorney General in the Trump Administration.” He transmitted a similar letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the state began a special election process to fill the vacancy. Attorneys involved in a civil case brought by a Gaetz associate were notified this week that an unauthorized person accessed a file shared between lawyers that included unredacted depositions from a woman who said Gaetz had sex with her when she was 17 and a second woman who says she saw the encounter, according to attorney Joel Leppard. Leppard said that two women he represents told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017 when Gaetz was in Congress. The files the person was able to access were part of a defamation case filed by a Gaetz associate against the former representative’s onetime political ally Joel Greenberg , who pleaded guilty in 2021 to sex trafficking of a minor, and admitted that he had paid at least one underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The apparent breach was first reported Tuesday by The New York Times. Gaetz has denied all the allegations. ▶ Read more about the apparent file breach Trump had announced last week that he’d chosen Todd Blanche, an attorney who’s defended him in some of his criminal cases, to serve as deputy attorney general. That’s the second highest ranking position at the Justice Department. A former federal prosecutor, Blanche has been a key figure defended him both in the New York hush money criminal trial that ended in a conviction in May, and the federal cases brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Thursday in a post on X that he believes the now-former congressman “will continue to contribute to our nation’s wellbeing for years to come.” Graham, a member of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, also said he looks forward to working with Trump “regarding future nominees to get this important job up and running.” The caption of the Instagram photo reads “The end of an era. No one loves America more than this guy.” The Florida representative was once embroiled in a sex trafficking investigation involving underage girls by the Justice Department, the very department President-elect Trump had tapped him to lead. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and in February 2023 said the investigation ended with no federal charges against him.He was also being investigated by the House Ethics panel, but Republicans declined yesterday to release the committee’s findings over objections from Democrats in a split vote. ▶ Read more about the Justice Department’s investigation into Gaetz He had abruptly resigned from his congressional seat upon being nominated as attorney general amid a long-running House Ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, which was seen as a way to halt the probe. The House Ethics panel’s Republicans declined this week to release the committee’s findings into Gaetz over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again Dec. 5 to discuss the matter. However, Gaetz did win re-election earlier this month for the new Congress which convenes Jan. 3. But it’s unclear if he would take office. There’s also been plans for a special election in Florida for his seat. “President Trump remains committed to choosing a leader for the Department of Justice who will strongly defend the Constitution and end the weaponization of our justice system,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team. In a message on his Truth Social network, Trump also said he was looking forward to seeing what Gaetz will do next after withdrawing as his pick. “He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump posted. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” Matt Gaetz has just withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on the former congressman’s ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. The Florida Republican’s announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department. Gaetz’s withdrawal is a blow to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration and the first sign that Trump could face resistance from members of his own party.Trump picks Indian American COVID lockdown critic as next NIH director