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Archive March 12, 2025

Police say surfer ‘taken by shark’ in Western Australia

Australian police have confirmed that a surfer who went missing was “taken by a shark” after search and rescue teams recovered a surfboard scarred with “bite marks” from the area of the attack.

The victim – identified by Australian media as 37-year-old Steven Payne – was mauled by a shark while surfing at Wharton beach in a remote area of Western Australia, police said late on Tuesday.

It marks Australia’s fourth reported fatal shark attack in recent months.

“I can confirm that our search is a recovery, not a rescue”, Western Australia Police Force Senior Sergeant Christopher Taylor said, noting that the surfer’s body has not been recovered.

“A surfboard with evidence of bite marks was recovered from the water”, Western Australia Police said in a separate statement on Tuesday.

According to media reports, a shark was spotted just moments before the attack in the water off Wharton beach and screams were heard coming from the area where the man was surfing at about midday.

Australia’s 7News network said the victim was in chest-deep water about 50 metres (164 feet) from the shore with two other surfers when he was attacked. Police said the other surfers were unable to do anything to help.

In February, a shark killed a 17-year-old girl swimming off an eastern Australian island, while a 28-year-old surfer was fatally bitten in South Australia a month earlier.

On December 28, a shark fatally bit a 40-year-old man in the neck as he was spearfishing off Queensland.

Surfers walk along a beach in Sydney, Australia, in April 2020]Rick Rycroft/AP Photo]

US Education Department to halve staff as Trump pushes for elimination

The United States Department of Education has announced it will lay off almost half of its employees as President Donald Trump moves to fulfil his campaign promise to dismantle the agency.

The department said on Tuesday that it would reduce the size of its workforce to roughly 2, 183 employees by placing staff on administrative leave from March 21.

It said it would continue to provide “all statutory programs” falling under its purview, including student loans and funding for special needs students.

The cuts follow similar rounds of firings undertaken as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s drive to radically streamline the federal bureaucracy.

“Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers”, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.

“I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system”.

In an interview with Fox News later on Tuesday, McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, confirmed that the layoffs were a step towards abolishing the department.

“Actually, it is because that was the president’s mandate”, she said.

“His directive to me clearly is to shut down the Department of Education, which we know we will have to work with Congress to get that accomplished”.

McMahon said that the cuts took aim at “bureaucratic bloat” and that the department’s “outward facing programs”, such as grants, would be preserved.

Trump campaigned on abolishing the Department of Education, which he claimed had been infiltrated by “radicals, zealots and Marxists”, and passing responsibility for education to individual states and local school districts.

In an exchange with reporters last month, the US president said that he had told McMahon that he wanted her to “put herself out of a job”.

Education in the US is already mostly provided by states and local communities, with the federal government only providing about 8 percent of the total funding for elementary and secondary schooling.

‘ Wrecking ball ‘

Established in 1979 by the US Congress and former President Jimmy Carter, the department’s primary functions include providing financial aid to schools, overseeing student loan programmes, and enforcing civil rights protections.

Republicans have railed against the department since its inception, arguing that education policy should be handled at the state and local level.

Former US President Ronald Reagan repeatedly called for the dismantling of the department but ultimately failed to win the backing of Congress before leaving office in 1989.

The National Education Association, the largest teachers union in the US, condemned the Trump administration’s move, accusing it of taking a “wrecking ball” to the futures of some 50 million students.

“The real victims will be our most vulnerable students”, National Education Association President Becky Pringle said in a statement.

Gene Hackman’s close friend reveals truth behind reclusive couple’s marriage

A close friend of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa has shed light on the true nature of the Hollywood couple’s marriage.

The pair, known for their private lifestyle, spent their final years together in their Santa Fe residence before their heartbreaking passing in February this year.

A recent press conference held on Friday (March 7) revealed a significant update from police and medical professionals, suggesting that it was “quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased”.

Medical experts have indicated that Gene exhibited signs of advanced Alzheimer’s disease and may have been unable to survive without his wife’s care.

Police deliver a press conference about the deaths
Police deliver a press conference about the deaths (AP)

Speaking to the New York Times, long-time friend Tom Allin described the couple as content, with Betsy taking charge of managing Gene’s medical appointments and maintaining his health. He stated that the actor seemed pleased to let his wife take control while she ensured his health and fitness were prioritised.

“She was very protective of him”, Tom added, asserting that without Betsy’s care, Gene would have passed away much earlier. “She just really looked after him”, he further shared, revealing that the accomplished pianist even diluted his wine with soda water at his 90th birthday celebration, reports the Daily Star.

Gene and Betsy
Gene and Betsy had been married for more than 30 years (WireImage)
The Hollywood legend
The Hollywood legend exhibited signs of advanced Alzheimer’s disease (WireImage)

Daniel Lenihan, alongside his wife Barbara, who had been friends with the couple, reminisced: “Last time we saw them, they were alive and well. They were so delightful to be around. Probably never seen a couple that got along and enjoyed each other so much”.

According to Daniel, Betsy was always on hand to make sure Gene stayed active, insisting on yoga sessions and light exercises for her husband’s wellbeing. Daniel praised Betsy’s dedication, saying: “Betsy was a wonderful wife. They were very close, and she was a good cook and really, really took good care of him. They ate very well. He had had a triple bypass, maybe around 60]years old], and he’d been in really good health since then, and I’m sure she was one of those factors”.

Portugal’s government loses confidence vote, setting stage for new election

Portugal’s centre-right government has lost a confidence vote in parliament, potentially pushing the European Union (EU) country towards its third general election in three years.

The government “tried everything right up to the last minute to avoid snap elections”, Portugal’s centre-right prime minister, Luis Montenegro, told reporters after the vote on Tuesday evening.

Lawmakers voted 142-88, with zero abstentions, against the motion of confidence that Montenegro presented after the opposition questioned the integrity of his dealings related to a consultancy firm he founded.

Portuguese media reported allegations that the firm, which is now run by Montenegro’s sons, had contracts with several private companies that rely on government contracts.

Montenegro, who had already survived two censure votes, denies any wrongdoing.

“The insinuation that I mixed my business and political activity is completely abusive, and even insulting. A repeated falsehood does not become the truth, but it contaminates the political environment… this is what populism feeds on”, he told parliament before the vote.

Pedro Nuno Santos, the leader of the Socialist Party, the country’s largest opposition party, described the government’s conduct as “shameful”, saying it resorted to “manoeuvres, games, tricks” to survive.

Montenegro became prime minister after socialist Antonio Costa resigned in November 2023 under the shadow of a corruption probe.

Costa, who denies accusations of influence peddling levelled against him, was elected head of the&nbsp, EU’s European Council in June 2024.

Montenegro’s administration will now assume a caretaker role.

Following the vote, it is now up to Portugal’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, whether to call a parliamentary election after he consults the main political parties on Wednesday and his advisory Council of State on Thursday.

De Sousa has said a new ballot could be held in mid-May.

Minority governments and rising far-right

Montenegro’s centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD) coalition won elections in March 2024, but held just 80 seats in the country’s 230-seat legislature. The Socialist Party, who had previously held government, won 78 seats.

By contrast, Portugal’s hard-right Chega party gained 50 seats, more than four times the 12 seats it held previously.

At the time, Montenegro ruled out working with Chega, saying “no means no” to forming a government with the party, which has gained votes campaigning on an anti-immigration platform.

Political scientist Adelino Maltez of Lisbon University said opinion polls showed very little change in voter preferences from the March 2024 election. The AD and the Socialists are neck-and-neck in most surveys.

“The problem is that the new election will not be conclusive… The AD and the Socialists are tied. It is a situation that will be difficult for them to navigate”, Maltez said.

A centrist pact between Montenegro’s Social Democrats and the Socialists was the only solution, despite the differences in their policy proposals, he said. The two main rivals only had such an accord in parliament once, between 1983 and 1985.

“If they don’t do it, it will be more of the same instability”, Maltez said.

Tuesday’s no-confidence vote points to the worst spell of political instability since Portugal adopted a democratic system more than 50 years ago in the wake of the 1974 Carnation Revolution, which ended a four-decade dictatorship.

An early election is all but inevitable now but voters are already showing election fatigue and disillusionment with politicians.

Greenland votes in election dominated by Trump’s pledge to control island

Unofficial results in Greenland’s election are expected to emerge shortly after polling closed in a vote that will determine which leaders confront United States President Donald Trump’s pledge to take control of the strategically placed Arctic country.

Voting was extended by half an hour past a 22: 00 GMT deadline on Tuesday amid high voter turnout at several of the 72 polling stations across the mineral-rich island, where 40, 500 people were eligible to cast their ballot.

There were no exit polls, and a final tally of the vote could take between three and five hours to complete, Greenland’s election authority said.

Official results will not be certified for weeks as ballot papers make their way to the capital, Nuuk, from remote settlements by boat, plane and helicopter.

Images and video clips shared on social media showed people queueing in the ice and snow outside polling stations in Nuuk up to 45 minutes before voting closed. Earlier in the day, long queues were also reported at voting centres.

Since taking office in January, Trump has promised to make Greenland – a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark – part of the US, saying it is vital to US security interests.

The vast island, with a population of just 57, 000, has been caught up in a geopolitical race for dominance in the Arctic, where melting ice caps are making its rich resources of rare earth metals more accessible and opening new shipping routes.

Greenland’s prime minister, Mute Bourup Egede, called the election last month, saying the country needed to be united during a “serious time” that is unlike anything Greenland has ever experienced.

While Trump has been outspoken about his desire to control Greenland, both Russia and China have also intensified military activity in the Arctic region.

Greenland is a former Danish colony and a territory since 1953. It gained some autonomy in 1979 when its first parliament was formed, but Copenhagen still controls foreign affairs, defence and monetary policy and provides just under $1bn a year to the economy.

In 2009, Greenland won the right to declare full independence through a referendum, even though it has not done so out of concern that living standards would drop without Denmark’s economic support.

Julie Rademacher, a consultant and former adviser to Greenland’s government, said that early on, the election campaign focused on the anger and frustration aimed at historical wrongdoings by former colonial ruler Denmark.

“But I think the fear of the US imperialist approach has lately become bigger than the anger towards Denmark”, Rademacher said.

The Reuters news agency spoke to more than a dozen Greenlanders in Nuuk, all of whom said they favoured independence, although many expressed concern that a swift transition could damage the economy and eliminate Nordic welfare services like universal healthcare and free schooling.

“We don’t want to be part of the US for obvious reasons, healthcare and Trump”, said Tuuta Lynge-Larsen, a bank employee and Nuuk resident, adding that this election was especially important.

‘Nunez not to blame – but you felt his miss carried more weight’

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Darwin Nunez fell into the arms of Arne Slot at the conclusion of a dramatic night that may yet come to define the spectacularly mixed bag that has been the Uruguayan’s Liverpool career.

Nunez must not shoulder the blame for Liverpool’s exit on penalties at the last-16 stage of the Champions League after cruising into the knockout phase – only to be drawn against the growing force that is this outstanding Paris St-Germain side.

Liverpool’s support, as they always have, stood firmly behind Nunez but he suffered a nightmare with an undistinguished performance as a substitute before missing a penalty in the shootout.

He was courageous enough to step up to take Liverpool’s second penalty in the shootout, but there was a nervous air inside Anfield.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock confirmed on BBC Radio 5 Live what many others felt: “You just had that feeling as Darwin Nunez walked up to the ball. A sense of anxiety from the Liverpool fans. He didn’t have an impact on the game”.

And it was justified as Nunez’s spot-kick was not enough to defeat the expertise of PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Indeed, Nunez may not even have been called upon take a penalty had Liverpool not lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to injury and replaced the reliable spot-kick taker Alexis Mac Allister on a physically and mentally draining, emotional night.

Liverpool head coach Slot gave Nunez the hard word recently when he said he “can’t accept” his work-rate in games at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers and at Aston Villa.

There was no question about his work-rate here, but this was a confused, over-anxious display characterised by misplaced passes and misunderstandings after he replaced Diogo Jota with 17 minutes left of normal time.

If anything, this was the work of someone trying too hard.

It will, however, only increase the question marks about whether it will ever fall into place for a striker who earned a reputation as “Captain Chaos” for his all-action style but simply does not produce with the consistency to meet Liverpool’s demands.

Nunez, it should be stressed, was certainly not to blame for Liverpool’s loss and the greats can miss penalties, but it was his miss that felt as it if carried more weight.

‘ Tough night for Liverpool – but PSG will threaten every opponent ‘

This was a tough night in all respects for Liverpool, who will certainly question the luck of the Champions League draw after topping the new format’s table with ease only to draw a PSG side who can now be considered potential winners, such is their quality.

If Liverpool rode their luck to somehow escape with a 1-0 win in the first leg in Paris, they did not enjoy the best of fortune here as both Alexander-Arnold, injured and now a doubt to face Newcastle United at Wembley, and Jarrel Quansah hit the woodwork.

Donnarumma also saved well from Ibrahima Konate and Luis Diaz, while Mohamed Salah had a rare night when the final flourish eluded him.

Liverpool’s luck did not even hold for the toss for penalties, the kicks being taken in front of PSG’s fans at the Anfield Road end rather than in front of the Kop, who were forced to try and inspire from afar.

This was the first time Liverpool had gone out at Anfield after winning the first leg of a European tie, while it was also the first time they had lost a penalty shootout in this competition after winning the European Cup against Roma in Rome in 1984, the Champions League against AC Milan in 2005 then beating Chelsea in the semi-final in 2007.

PSG will say, with some justification, they deserved their win over two legs and coach Luis Enrique, a Champions League winner with Barcelona, is presiding over a superb revamp of a team that looks more cohesive and energetic than the one that failed so often in the Champions League.

The “Bling Bling” era of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar has gone, to be replaced by Ousmane Dembele finally fulfilling his potential and recent signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia adding a new dimension.

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Sunday’s final a chance to rebound

For Liverpool, this is a bitter disappointment among all their imperious Premier League progress this season.

Talk of a quadruple was always fanciful, but the FA Cup campaign ended when Slot fielded a virtual reserve side at the Championship’s bottom club Plymouth Argyle, while an exit at the last-16 stage always counts as a Champions League failure for a club of Liverpool’s aspirations.

This season still has so much to offer for Liverpool and Slot, as they stand 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League, their coronation now little more than a formality as their rivals fall by the wayside in the face of their relentless consistency.

It has been a superb campaign.

The Champions League, however, always adds that extra touch of spice and glamour to the latter stages of any Liverpool season and there was no disguising the pain of defeat on the faces of their players and Slot when Desire Doue slammed home the penalty that confirmed PSG’s place in the quarter-finals, where they will face either Aston Villa, who hold a 3-1 lead from the first leg, or Club Brugge.

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