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fergus falls, minnesota — Nearly three years after a couple from India and their two young children froze to death while trying to cross the border from Canada into the U.S., two men went on trial Monday on human smuggling charges, accused of being part of a criminal network that stretched around the world.

Prosecutors say Indian national Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, ran part of the scheme and recruited Steve Shand, 50, of Florida, to shuttle migrants across the border. Both men have pleaded not guilty in federal court in Minnesota. They’re standing trial before U.S. District Judge John Tunheim, with proceedings expected to last about five days. They each face four counts related to human smuggling.

On January 19, 2022, Shand was allegedly waiting in a truck for 11 migrants, including the family of four from the village of Dingucha in Gujarat state. Prosecutors say 39-year-old Jagdish Patel; his wife, Vaishaliben, who was in her mid-30s; the couple’s 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and 3-year-old son, Dharmik, died after spending hours wandering fields in blizzard conditions as the wind chill reached minus 36 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 38 Celsius).

Prosecutors say when Jagdish Patel’s body was found, he was holding Dharmik, who was wrapped in a blanket.

Before jury selection began Monday morning, defense attorneys objected to prosecutors’ plan to show seven photos of the frozen bodies of Jagdish Patel and his family, including close-up images of the children.

Shand’s attorney, Aaron Morrison, said the heart-wrenching images could cause “extreme prejudice to the jury” and asked for the photos to be removed as evidence.

Prosecutors argued the photos were necessary to show the family was not adequately prepared by Shand and Harshkumar Patel for the frigid conditions.

Tunheim allowed the images to remain evidence.

Patel is a common Indian surname and the victims were not related to Harshkumar Patel. Federal prosecutors say Harshkumar Patel and Shand were part of an operation that scouted clients in India, got them Canadian student visas, arranged transportation and smuggled them into the U.S., mostly through Washington state or Minnesota.

The U.S. Border Patrol arrested more than 14,000 Indians on the Canadian border in the year ending this Sept. 30. By 2022, the Pew Research Center estimates more than 725,000 Indians were living illegally in the U.S., behind only Mexicans and El Salvadorans.

Harshkumar Patel’s attorney, Thomas Leinenweber, told The Associated Press that his client came to America to escape poverty and build a better life for himself and now “stands unjustly accused of participating in this horrible crime. He has faith in the justice system of his adopted country and believes that the truth will come out at the trial.” Attorneys for Shand did not return messages.

Court documents filed by prosecutors show Patel was in the U.S. illegally after being refused a U.S. visa at least five times, and that he recruited Shand at a casino near their homes in Deltona, Florida, just north of Orlando.

Over a five-week period, court documents say, Patel and Shand often communicated about the bitter cold as they smuggled five groups of Indians over a quiet stretch of border. One night in December 2021, Shand messaged Patel that it was “cold as hell” while waiting to pick up one group, the documents say.

“They going to be alive when they get here?” he allegedly wrote.

During the last trip in January, Shand had messaged Patel, saying: “Make sure everyone is dressed for the blizzard conditions, please,” according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors say Shand told investigators that Patel paid him about $25,000 for the five trips.

Jagdish Patel grew up in Dingucha. He and his family lived with his parents. The couple were schoolteachers, according to local news reports.

Satveer Chaudhary is a Minneapolis-based immigration attorney who has helped migrants exploited by motel owners, many of them Gujaratis. He said smugglers and shady business interests promised many migrants an American dream that doesn’t exist when they arrive.

“The promises of the almighty dollar lead many people to take unwarranted risks with their own dignity, and as we’re finding out here, their own lives,” Chaudhary said.
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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is requesting nearly $100 billion in emergency disaster aid after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and other natural disasters, telling lawmakers that the money is “urgently needed.” 

The letter Monday to House Speaker Mike Johnson comes as lawmakers meet during a lame-duck session to finish key priorities before making way for a new Congress and the incoming Trump administration. Biden said he has met firsthand with those harmed by the storms and he heard what residents and businesses needed from the federal government. 

“Additional resources are critical to continue to support these communities,” Biden said. 

The largest share of the money, about $40 billion, would go to the main disaster relief fund at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Biden said the fund would face a shortfall this budget year without additional money. He said that would not only affect the agency’s ability to provide lifesaving assistance to survivors, but also would slow recovery efforts from prior disasters. 

An additional $24 billion would help farmers that have experienced crop or livestock losses, and $12 billion would go toward community development block grants administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Some $8 billion more would help rebuild and repair highways and bridges in more than 40 states and territories. The administration is also seeking $4 billion for long-term water system upgrades to mitigate future damage from natural disasters. Several other agencies would also receive emergency funds if Congress agrees to the request. 

Lawmakers were expecting a hefty number from the administration. Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said Congress will evaluate the request and “we’ll make sure we deliver for the hurricane victims and the people that have suffered from that.” 

The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to hear Wednesday from the heads of several of the government agencies that would receive funding through Biden’s request. It’s possible that emergency aid could be attached to any spending bill designed to keep federal agencies operating after current funding expires Dec. 20. 

Biden noted that Congress had provided more than $90 billion in aid after Hurricane Katrina nearly two decades ago, and more than $50 billion after Hurricane Sandy in 2013. He urged Congress to take “immediate action.” 

“Just as the Congress acted then, it is our sworn duty now to deliver the necessary resources to ensure that everyone in communities reeling from Hurricanes Helene and Milton — and those still recovering from previous disasters — have the Federal resources they need and deserve,” Biden wrote.
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Раніше місцева влада повідомила, що російський обстріл Одеси вночі 15 листопада пошкодив будівлю сімейної амбулаторії, яка є пам’яткою архітектури
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The Holocaust Museum LA recently installed a new exhibit on its roof: a German-made freight car that was used to deport Jews across Nazi-occupied Europe to the Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin, Poland. From Los Angeles, Angelina Bagdasaryan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.
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In New York City, where some communities have limited access to fresh produce, a unique classroom program is teaching students how to grow their own food and improve their eating habits. Aron Ranen has more on how gardening is shaping healthier futures for kids.
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За попередньою інформацією, армія РФ вдарила по мешканцях Токарівки та Гоптівки з FPV-дронів
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У звʼязку з загибеллю 10 людей, завтра, 19 листопада, в Одесі та області оголошено день жалоби
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Manila, Philippines — The Philippines and the United States signed on Monday a military intelligence-sharing deal in a further deepening of defense ties between the two nations facing common security challenges in the region.

Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed the agreement with his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, at Manila’s military headquarters where both officials also broke ground for a combined coordination center that will facilitate collaboration between their armed forces.

Called the General Security of Military Information Agreement or GSOMIA, the pact allows both countries to share classified military information securely.

“Not only will this allow the Philippines access to higher capabilities and big-ticket items from the United States, it will also open opportunities to pursue similar agreements with like-minded nations,” said Philippines’ defense ministry spokesperson Arsenio Andolong.

Security engagements between the United States and the Philippines have deepened under President Joe Biden and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with both leaders keen to counter what they see as China’s aggressive policies in the South China Sea and near Taiwan.

The two countries have a mutual defense treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea.

“I want to start by underscoring our ironclad commitment to the Philippines,” Austin said during the groundbreaking ceremony for the coordination center.

Austin said the coordination center should enable real-time information sharing between the two defense treaty allies and boost interoperability.

‘’It will be a place where our forces can work side by side to respond to regional challenges,” Austin said.

The Philippines has expressed confidence the alliance will remain strong under incoming U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.

Both the Philippines and the United States face increasingly aggressive actions from China in the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce, which it claims almost entirely as its own.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague said China’s claims had no legal basis, siding with the Philippines, which brought the case.

But China has rejected the ruling, leading to a series of sea and air confrontations with the Philippines that have turned the highly strategic South China Sea into a potential flashpoint between Washington and Beijing.

“The United States’ presence in the Indo Pacific region is essential for maintaining peace and stability in this region,” Teodoro said during the inauguration, echoing previous remarks made by Marcos.
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«Пріоритетом є зараз боронити країну. Ми дивимося, що ворог збільшує кількість особового складу» – Рустем Умєров
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Spirit Airlines said Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy protection and will attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused swoon in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue.

Spirit, the biggest U.S. budget airline, has lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020 and faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1 billion over the next year.

Spirit said it expects to operate as normal as it works its way through a prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and that customers can continue to book and fly without interruption.

Shares of Miramar, Florida-based Spirit dropped 25% on Friday, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the airline was discussing terms of a possible bankruptcy filing with its bondholders. It was just the latest in a series of blows that have sent the stock crashing down by 97% since late 2018 — when Spirit was still making money.

CEO Ted Christie confirmed in August that Spirit was talking to advisers of its bondholders about the upcoming debt maturities. He called the discussions a priority, and said the airline was trying to get the best deal it could as quickly as possible.

“The chatter in the market about Spirit is notable, but we are not distracted,” he told investors during an earnings call. “We are focused on refinancing our debt, improving our overall liquidity position, deploying our new reimagined product into the market, and growing our loyalty programs.”

People are still flying on Spirit Airlines. They’re just not paying as much.

In the first six months of this year, Spirit passengers flew 2% more than they did in the same period last year. However, they are paying 10% less per mile, and revenue per mile from fares is down nearly 20%, contributing to Spirit’s red ink.

It’s not a new trend. Spirit failed to return to profitability when the coronavirus pandemic eased and travel rebounded. There are several reasons behind the slump.

Spirit’s costs, especially for labor, have risen. The biggest U.S. airlines have snagged some of Spirit’s budget-conscious customers by offering their own brand of bare-bones tickets. And fares for U.S. leisure travel — Spirit’s core business — have sagged because of a glut of new flights.

The premium end of the air-travel market has surged while Spirit’s traditional no-frills end has stagnated. So this summer, Spirit decided to sell bundled fares that include a bigger seat, priority boarding, free bags, internet service and snacks and drinks. That is a huge change from Spirit’s longtime strategy of luring customers with rock-bottom fares and forcing them to pay extra for things such as bringing a carry-on bag or ordering a soda.

In a highly unusual move, Spirit plans to cut its October-through-December schedule by nearly 20%, compared with the same period last year, which analysts say should help prop up fares. But that will help rivals more than it will boost Spirit. Analysts from Deutsche Bank and Raymond James say that Frontier, JetBlue and Southwest would benefit the most because of their overlap with Spirit on many routes.

Spirit has also been plagued by required repairs to Pratt & Whitney engines, which is forcing the airline to ground dozens of its Airbus jets. Spirit has cited the recall as it furloughed pilots.

The aircraft fleet is relatively young, which has made Spirit an attractive takeover target.

Frontier Airlines tried to merge with Spirit in 2022 but was outbid by JetBlue. However, the Justice Department sued to block the $3.8 billion deal, saying it would drive up prices for Spirit customers who depend on low fares, and a federal judge agreed in January. JetBlue and Spirit dropped their merger two months later.

U.S. airline bankruptcies were common in the 1990s and 2000s, as airlines struggled with fierce competition, high labor costs and sudden spikes in the price of jet fuel. PanAm, TWA, Northwest, Continental, United and Delta were swept up. Some liquidated, while others used favorable laws to renegotiate debts such as aircraft leases and keep flying.

The last bankruptcy by a major U.S. carrier ended when American Airlines emerged from Chapter 11 protection and simultaneously merged with US Airways in December 2013.
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За повідомленням, Ольга Гейко стала першою жінкою лауреаткою премії від України. Українці отримують нагороду вже третій рік поспіль
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U.S. President Joe Biden began a historic trip to Brazil Sunday, becoming the first sitting American president to visit the Amazon rainforest to mark his efforts on fighting climate change. He will attend the summit of the 20 largest economies, the G20, Monday in Rio de Janeiro, where climate, poverty reduction and other global clauses will be discussed. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara is traveling with the president and has this report from Rio.
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U.S. officials would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.

The U.S. Forest Service proposal, released Friday, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 99,000 square kilometers in Oregon, Washington and California.

The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive logging practices that resulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subsequent years, spurring political backlash.

But federal officials now say worsening wildfires due to climate change mean forests must be more actively managed to increase their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.

The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The number of timber-related jobs would increase accordingly.

Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government figures.

Cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make communities safer, the study concluded. That would be accomplished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old — up from the current age threshold of 80 years.

The change could help foster conditions conducive to growing larger, old growth trees that are more resistant to fire, by removing younger trees, officials said.

A separate pending proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration aims to increase protections nationwide for old growth trees, which play a significant role in storing climate change-inducing carbon dioxide.

“Much has changed in society and science since the Northwest Forest Plan was created,” Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to shifting conditions, as global warming increases the frequency of droughts and other extreme weather events.

The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to tap into tribal knowledge about forest management. Tribes were excluded when the 1994 plan was crafted.

Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism. The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just ahead of a change in presidential administrations.

“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the fundamental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan–protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and old-growth forests they need to survive,” John Persell, an attorney for the group, said in a statement.

During former President Donald Trump’s first term, administration officials sought to open millions of acres of West Coast forest to new logging by stripping habitat protections for the imperiled spotted owl. The move was opposed by government biologists and reversed under Biden.

A draft environmental study examined several potential alternatives, including leaving the existing plan’s components in place or changing them to either reduce or increase logging.

A timber industry representative who co-chaired an advisory committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan resulted from discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.

“We want to see a modern approach to federal forest stewardship that protects us from catastrophic wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully engages tribes, and delivers for our rural communities and workers,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council.

The publishing of the proposal begins a 120-day public comment period. The Forest Service’s environmental review is expected to be completed by next fall and a final decision is due in early 2026.
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NEW ORLEANS — Two people were killed and 10 others were wounded in two separate shootings along a New Orleans parade route and celebration attended by thousands on Sunday, authorities said. There were no immediate arrests.

Officers responding to reports of gunfire shortly after 3:30 p.m. on an avenue in the city’s St. Roch neighborhood found eight victims with gunshot wounds, according to a news release from the New Orleans Police Department. All eight were taken to hospitals in unknown condition. Police later said a ninth wounded person arrived at a hospital via a private car.

About 45 minutes later, police received another report of gunfire as revelers were crossing the Almonaster Avenue Bridge, just over .8 km to the north. One person died at the scene and another died at a hospital, police said. A third victim was driven to a hospital in a private vehicle and is in stable condition, police said.

No arrests were announced and no suspect information was released. The St. Roch neighborhood is outside the city’s French Quarter that is popular with tourists, located several blocks northeast of the quarter.

Thousands had gathered for the annual outing of the Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club in the 9th Ward, organizer Oscar Brown told NOLA.com.

“It is a wonderful event, and we want to keep it a wonderful event,” Kirkpatrick said.

The Almonaster Bridge was closed in both directions during the investigation.

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said detectives didn’t immediately know if the incidents were related.

“They were … different kinds of approaches,” she said of the shootings, which occurred in the area where a “second line,” a celebration following a parade, was taking place.

It was the second major shooting in the South since gunfire marred a homecoming weekend at Tuskegee University in Alabama on Nov. 10, leaving one person dead and injuring 16 others, a dozen of them by gunfire, authorities said.
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Washington — President Joe Biden has for the first time authorized the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to strike inside Russia, according to people familiar with the matter. 

The decision is a major U.S. policy shift and comes as Biden is about to leave office and President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to limit American support for Ukraine and end the war as soon as possible. 

The weapons are likely to be used in response to North Korea’s decision to send thousands of troops to Russia in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to one of the people. 

The people were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
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TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Memes, inspirational quotes, and even dance videos have brought President-elect Donald Trump to a new height of fame on Chinese social media since his election.

On Xiaohongshu, a media platform most similar to Instagram, the search term “Trump” shows more than 200,000 posts on the topic and 880 million views, with recent top posts each accruing more than 72,000 views and thousands of comments.

Videos of the president-elect dancing to the song YMCA by the band Village People have been circulating in Chinese cyberspace.

Many commenters find the content funny, calling him a jokester or comedian, while others view it as inspirational, seeing the older soon-to-be two-time American president as a role model.

Trump’s popularity stems from a kind of vitality and enthusiasm that he displayed throughout his campaign, analysts said, attracting many young Chinese who grew up looking up to more somber and rigid communist idols within their own country.

Videos of Elon Musk at a pre-election Trump rally have also made an impression on Chinese social media platform users. On these posts, commenters describe him as “a good kind of capitalist” and “someone who will make America strong.”

‘They need an idol’

These impressions come amidst a general malaise facing the Chinese economy that has sparked the young Chinese people to ‘lie flat’, meaning to cease striving for a better life in face of a competitive job market and other pressures.

One comment commonly posted under many Trump-related posts reads: “He is 78 years old, was hit by a bullet in the ear and bled profusely, was convicted of a felony and nearly sent to jail, had appealed over 60 times but still continued to work hard to find a job and found the best job for himself. What excuse do you have for not working hard?”

Liu, a writer from Jiangsu province, said Trump’s difficult path back to the presidency is precisely what inspires Chinese youth when compared to the traditional Communist Party heroes. Liu only gave his surname, because talking to foreign media is dangerous, he says.

“They need an idol who represents the possibility of individual success. Trump fits this image: he gets stronger with each setback, continually fights back, and still works hard even at an older age,” Liu said, adding that “more importantly, young Chinese long for the kind of fair and just environment that has allowed Trump to succeed.”

Trump stands in direct contrast to many revered Chinese figures, such as Xi Jinping, Mao Zedong, and communist soldier Lei Feng — a model hero in China.

“Their lives seem too hard and are not the kind of lives young people in China aspire to,” Liu said, adding that Trump stands for something different: the individualistic, opportunistic ‘American Dream’

“Whether you can wear a gold bracelet before New Years is all up to you!” comments one user ‘Sleepy Orange’ under a campaign rally video, referencing gold as an important gift typically exchanged on the Chinese New Year. It is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. More than 2,000 people liked this comment.

Liu said he also appreciates Trump’s straightforwardness, as he doesn’t preach lofty ideals and morals but is practical and realistic. Liu described Chinese authorities and their political slogans as “vague and empty.”

Popularity reflects dislike of Xi, says influencer

Chen Weiyu, a Chinese media influencer living in the United States, told VOA that Trump’s popularity on Chinese social media represents a deep disdain toward Chinese leaders, calling people’s engagement with his content a form of “deprogramming.”

“Rather than admiration for Trump himself, it’s more about a rejection and opposition to Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party. By expressing their liking for Trump, they are in fact expressing their dislike and opposition to Xi Jinping,” Chen said.

She stressed that people at the bottom of society in China, struggling to survive in an economy controlled by communist elites, feel that no one is concerned about or advocating for them.

In contrast, working-class individuals facing unemployment in the United States can use their votes to elect a leader who they believe will represent their interests and create a better policy environment for them.

Chen also attributed the abundance of Trump content on Chinese platforms to the increasing prevalence of virtual private networks as a way of accessing information that is normally forbidden in China.

However, Zhou “Zuola” Shuguang, one of the first Chinese citizen journalists to relocate to Taiwan, said the popularity of Trump on Chinese social media may have the “tacit approval” of the Chinese Communist Party.

Beijing’s censorship system is consistently strict about controlling content, so the fact that Trump-related content is able to spread widely on social media suggests that the CCP is intentionally allowing the content to be seen, Zhou told VOA.

“In other words, if Trump’s content appears on Chinese social media, it means that Trump is not seen as a major threat by the CCP,” he said.

While Trump-related content is getting clicks, not all of them are positive.

“It’s not a good thing for Trump to come back, God bless China” said a netizen in one comment. Others simply poke fun at the president-elect, the color of his hair and the way his makeup makes him look on stage.

“60% of the tariffs will be given to China, how many free trade enterprises are going to be suppressed,” reads another comment liked by nearly 1,000 people.

Katherine Michaelson, Samuel Hui contributed to this report.
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