New Year’s Eve on a snowy peak under a starry sky: It sounds like the perfect way to ring in the New Year. But tragedy doesn’t take a vacation over the holidays. As some toasted the evening with friends in a warm venue, two separate outings in Spain and Italy ended in disaster. Gerard Olive built himself a high profile on Instagram by specializing in “extreme bivouacs.” His handle, Xutonthetop, had 52,000 followers. Photos and videos showed him tucked in a sleeping bag on mountaintops, grassy plains, and snowy terraces, accompanied by typical influencer verbiage about freedom, overcoming limits, etc. One bivy, in particular, went viral. In 2022, he strung a hammock between two granite outcrops on the Salenques-Tempestades ridge in the Pyrenees. View this post on Instagram See this post on Instagram The two-kilometer-long ridge has several exposed passages and is the most technical route to reach 3,404m Aneto, the highest peak in the Pyrenees. When dry, it involves sections up to 5+ (UIAA grade) on excellent granite. In winter, the scenery changes radically. Hard snow and ice plaster the rock, and the climb becomes a serious challenge requiring advanced mixed climbing skills. In Olive’s mind, it would mark a perfect finale to his 2024 bivvies. He would repeat the 2022 hammock stunt in winter. On December 30, the influencer left his car in a parking area in the Pyrenean village of Benasque and walked to an untended alpine hut. Here, he met a Mexican climber, the last person to see him alive. On the following morning, he left by himself toward the Llosas Valley, on the south side of the Aneto massif. His family became worried when he failed to return home on January 2. The GREIM, the Spanish Mountain Rescue service, started searching on January 3, but the helicopter couldn’t survey the area properly due to cloudy weather. No one knows for sure the route he might have taken. Local climber Jonatan Garcia, one of the most prolific climbers in the area — someone who has soloed the Salenques-Tempestades 50 times — tried to duplicate a possible route Olive might have taken. There was no trace of him on the south face of Aneto. He surely fell down the ridge at some point, north of Aneto. Garcia shared his opinion about Olive’s route with the helicopter pilots. The following morning, they searched that area and found Olive’s lifeless body. The rocky Salenques-Tempestades ridge on the left. Olive’s body was found at the base of the walls, although he probably fell from some higher point to the left, out of the frame. Photo: Jonatan Garcia “I don’t think Gerard [Olive] planned to climb the entire ridge on his own, as he was not that experienced,” said Garcia. “Rather, he tried to access the ridge at his planned bivy point by traversing from the summit of nearby Margalida Peak.” The problem, Garcia said, is that this traverse is exposed and difficult even in summer. The terrain alternates between smooth rock slabs and a very steep, slippery grassy ramp. “In winter, it is worse,” Garcia went on. “With fresh snow, it’s avalanche-prone and requires progressing on very hard snow or ice, with…no mistakes allowed.” Garcia thinks Olive’s heavy backpack, with his bivouac gear and cameras, might have been a burden. Rescuers found his stuff scattered along the slope. The hammock was still perfectly folded; he probably had no chance to use it. “Social media is a double-edged sword,” Garcia told ExplorersWeb. “It gives updated information about routes and areas, which has a positive impact on safety. But it also has a darker side. Some people feel too much pressure to increase their followers, even if that means taking excessive risks. “Also, the positive feedback boosts self-confidence, in some cases beyond what is sensible,” he added. No one noticed something had gone wrong for Aziz Ziriat, 36, and Sam Harris, 35, until they failed to catch their flight back home to London on January 6. The two friends were hiking the Adamello Massif in the Italian Alps. “The family knew the climbers intended to use the Malga Dosson bivouac (2,360m) on New Year’s Eve and then hike in the area for a couple of days before descending to the valley and going straight to the airport,” Monica Malfatti, press manager of Trentino Alpine Rescue Services, told ExplorersWeb. “It seems like they wanted to reach the Rifugio Care Alto, but they got lost due to foggy weather.” The Casina Malga Dosson, in summer. Photo: Davide Gamberini Once the alarm was raised, Scorso Alpine Services launched a search, but conditions were difficult. There was a notable avalanche risk, and helicopters and drones couldn’t see much in the fog. Volunteers used quads to search the trails leading to refuges where the missing hikers might have found shelter. The area where the British hikers went missing, with Casina Malga Dosson to the south of Care Alto Peak (4) and Refuge Care Alto (3) to the east. Map: Rigugio Care Alto website On Wednesday, with slightly better conditions, the helicopter took a team of rescuers to the Malga Dosson hut while the pilots searched further above. They found the backpacks of the missing climbers at the hut. The rescuers also located the last ping from one of the climber’s cell phones near Conca Pass, at about 2,600m. The helicopters airlifted 15 rescuers to the area, and they started searching on foot with snow probes. Shortly after noon, they found the body of one of the climbers, soon identified as Sam Harris. “[It] was found under the snow, at the foot of a rock face, at the base of the south face of Carè Alto,” stated a press release by the Scorso Alpino Trentino. “The dynamics of the accident are still being examined by the police, but it is possible that the mountaineer fell from above.” Efforts then focused on finding the second climber, but deteriorating weather soon suspended the search. Because of the high risk of avalanches, helicopters flew everyone back to the valley. The search will hopefully resume tomorrow, Friday, weather permitting. A helicopter searches the area in foggy weather yesterday. Photo: Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Trentino Asked by Explorersweb, members of the Italian Mountain Rescue Service admitted that winter holiday rescues have become more frequent because people have more free time to spend in the mountains. “People want to discover something different during the holidays, but the accidents during this time may involve both inexperienced and very experienced climbers and hikers,” said Simone Alessandrini of the press office at the Italian Mountain Rescue Service. It’s the conditions that are different: Frozen terrain, cold, unstable weather, and shorter days make winter forays more liable to go wrong than their summer equivalents. Alessandrini mentioned a spectacular rescue that took place on the Lastoni di Formin in the Belluno Dolomites on New Year’s Eve. This one had a positive outcome. Three young climbers took the wrong rappel line while climbing the Re Artù route. “They began their rappel but ended up stranded — two of them about 60 meters below the summit and the third about 20 meters lower,” Alessandrini said. The rescue took from 5 pm until after midnight. “After several unsuccessful attempts to approach the overhanging area where the climbers were stuck, the helicopter dropped off a Belluno rescuer and its own technical rescuer on the summit, at an altitude of 2,630m. It then flew back to the valley to pick up a team of four additional rescuers.” The wall where the climbers were stuck, seen from the rescue helicopter. Photo: Italian Mountain Rescue Service The team worked in subzero temperatures, setting up a rappel system to reach the stranded climbers and lifting them back up to the summit. They then all descended the normal route of the peak until they reached a flat area where the helicopter could land. Rescuers reach stranded climbers on an overhanging Dolomites wall. Photo: Italian Mountain Rescue Service Angela Benavides graduated university in journalism and specializes in high-altitude mountaineering and expedition news. She has been writing about climbing and mountaineering, adventure and outdoor sports for 20+ years. Prior to that, Angela Benavides spent time at/worked at a number of local and international media. She is also experienced in outdoor-sport consultancy for sponsoring corporations, press manager and communication executive, and a published author. Sign up to receive ExplorersWeb content direct to your inbox once a week. WATCH: Katherine Forster emotionally recalls her sons going missing while hiking in Bali A major search operation is underway in Italy's Dolomites for two British men who have gone missing while hiking when they last sent messages home from the Trentino region Multiple rescue teams are now trying to locate the pair who failed to board their flight back to the UK on January 6 The two men were last known to be near Casina Dosson in Tione Di Trento Aziz Ziriat (right) and Samuel Harris (left) Their disappearance has sparked widespread concern with rescue efforts focused on the mountainous area where they were believed to be hiking The last communication from the pair was received at 14.20 on January 1 according to appeals from their friends and colleagues Carabinieri and the local fire brigade have joined forces in the search operation rescue teams are facing significant challenges due to recent heavy snowfall in the area making it difficult to access key search locations Crystal Palace Football Club has issued an urgent appeal for their staff member Aziz Ziriat and his friend Sam Harris The club posted: "Crystal Palace urges supporters to share any information they might have to help locate Palace for Life Foundation staff member Aziz Ziriat Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman has made an urgent appeal on LinkedIn for help finding his friends Two of my friends have gone missing whilst hiking in the Dolomites," he wrote The hikers' last known location is believed to be near a hut called Casina Dosson as they possibly followed this route "We know they were near Casina Dosson Tione Di Trento as he called for anyone with mountain rescue experience to contact him Friends of the two men are flying out from London to northern Italy this evening to assist with the search efforts Local authorities have noted that it is highly unusual for hikers to go missing in the Dolomites during this time of year Due to the ongoing shelter crisis taking place across the country, including right here in Utah, animal shelters remain full or over-capacity. Data collected by Best Friends Animal Society shows that while the number of pets going into shelters hasn’t drastically changed in recent months the number of adoptions and foster homes just can’t keep pace with the animals coming in pets enter shelters faster than they leave A 90% save rate is the accepted industry threshold for being considered a “no-kill” shelter which doesn’t kill healthy or otherwise treatable animals to make space for other animals So how can we take Utah to “no-kill?” It’s simple If every community member in the state looking to add a dog or cat to their family adopted from their local shelter we would be able to add Utah to the growing list of no-kill states This would be a huge step towards taking the rest of the country no-kill by 2025 We have an incredible existing transport network through our shelter partners and NKUT (No Kill Utah) coalition partners This network is able to move at-risk animals from over-capacity shelters in our community to receiving animal welfare organizations on other parts of the country who are able to take them in local adoptions are a critical piece of the lifesaving puzzle I have worked for animal shelters all over the U.S and Utah shelters consistently have an incredible variety of available pets for adoption it’s easy to find your new best friend closer to home than you might think In addition, with Utah being one of the fastest-growing states in the country, that also means an increase in pets, and a need for members of the community to know where to go if they want to adopt, foster, volunteer, donate or are looking for their own lost pet. That’s why Best Friends Animal Society just launched the Adopt Local Challenge through April 30 to increase exposure for cats and dogs in animal shelters across the state You can find your next best friend in any of the shelters closest to you. That means you don’t have to drive across state lines or for hours to find an animal shelter. I can almost guarantee if you browse Petfinder you will find what you are looking for closer to home than you realize. In most cases, adopted pets are also spayed or neutered and microchipped and have received age-appropriate vaccines. It truly takes a village, and we are imploring the community to be a part of our village. The responsibility of saving pets is a community issue that can be solved with the involvement of everybody, including community members, government leaders, animal shelters field services and animal control, and other animal welfare groups. Through collaboration, we can provide better support for pet owners, efficiency in shelters and more lifesaving outcomes for pets. When a community supports its shelter’s critical needs, we see dramatic results. Michelle Dosson is executive director at Best Friends Animal Society in Salt Lake City and Mountain West Region. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH 8:00 AM | Updated: Jan 10 Dogs are caged at South Salt Lake Animal Services on Tuesday Animal shelters are seeing more pets being dropped off BY ALEXANDREA BONILLA SALT LAKE CITY  — For weeks ahead of the new year animal shelters around Utah and the nation offered reduced adoption fees and more to try to get some of their shelter animals into new homes.  and pushes for adoption — shelters are teetering on whether they can handle it all “This has been a looming crisis, coming for the last year or so,” said Michelle Dosson, the executive director of Best Friends Animal Society “We’ve been experiencing [this] across the nation — animal shelters and rescues are really in a full-fledged crisis Many of them across the country are over capacity and they’re needing to make really difficult decisions about life-saving.” Shelters do what they can to get animals adopted, but the number of animals coming into shelters has outpaced adoption rates.  “Animals and our pets are an extension of our families — I mean “To have our shelters be inundated and overrun and beyond the capacity of care for animals… we all need to step in and do our part.” Best Friends of Utah reported they were over capacity for dogs and near capacity for cats Many shelters across the state have reported similar trends “Hopefully they have programs in place that facilitate a quicker outcome for these animals,” Dosson said day out activities that all contribute to an animal’s presentability at the shelter and raise their adaptability.” These proactive programs also offer more visibility to the animals increasing the potential pool of adoptive families Dosson says the southern part of the United States will always struggle with having animal shelters at capacity because they never experience a true winter the capacity crisis is pretty much always happening because of the different breeding cycles,” Dosson said “Because they don’t experience true winters The sheer volume of animals is higher across the south.” Breeding cycles are typical during the warmer months Gestational periods for cats and dogs are typically just 60-70 days “If you don’t really experience the hard freeze or winter that kind of cycle never really ends,” Dosson said their kitten season was year-round to a degree “Much heavier in the spring and summer and through the fall,” she said there’s definitely there’s not a hard stop It isn’t that there’s not a complete end — because there are always going to be anomalies we don’t see a lot of kittens coming into our shelter “But when you look up into the northeast Dosson encourages anyone who is interested in helping to volunteer at your local animal shelter What we think might be a stray animal is most likely a lost pet “The good samaritan in all of us immediately wants to remove that animal from that community and take it to the animal shelter but I would promote trying to reunite pets and their families without involving the shelter,” Dosson said they’re probably not far from their home She finds that social media is one of the easiest ways to reunite pets with their owners “You can reunite pets independently under shelter you can post on their social media.” There are lost and found pet groups on Facebook all throughout Utah “Remember that when you find a lost animal outside they really aren’t probably far from their home,” she said.” Hold on to it for a little bit without taking them to the overcapacity already full shelter.” Kira Hoffelmeyer contributed to this report Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here Potentially hundreds to thousands of homeless people who have been waiting months could receive stimulus checks after the Internal Revenue Service lifted a hold on seven addresses in King County After the Times’ story, other organizations outside of Seattle also reached out to Jayapal’s office with similar issues, according to Chris Evans, a spokesperson for the congresswoman. Day centers in Kirkland, Kent and Federal Way also had holds on them, Evans said. The IRS will reissue checks to everyone who was affected, Jayapal’s office said in a statement. Neither the IRS nor either congressional office could say how many checks were held up. “A lot of these organizations didn’t know that this was a problem that other groups were having until they started talking about it with our office,” Evans said. “They each thought it was something that was wrong with their address.” Nonprofits and advocacy groups had been hearing for much of the past year that the checks most Americans were receiving automatically weren’t coming to their homeless clients. Some case managers even approached the U.S. Postal Service about the problem but ran into dead ends. Days before the Times’ original story pointing out the issue, the IRS put out a news release “reminding” people without a permanent address they could still file taxes and saying they were “working hard” on getting checks out, but admitted they needed to do more. But when The Times asked about why checks weren’t being delivered to homeless people who had filed, the IRS said that was a Treasury Department issue. On Monday, an IRS spokesperson did confirm the agency’s internal systems flagged the addresses. The agency didn’t provide any other details on the record. The IRS’ system often flags addresses where many — in this case, hundreds — of tax returns or stimulus checks are being requested, Jayapal’s office was told. “It’s unacceptable that these checks have been delayed and I’ve made that extremely clear to the IRS,” Sen. Murray said in a statement. “I’m pushing IRS and other federal agencies to resolve this situation and get people who are unhoused or don’t have a permanent address their relief payments as quickly as possible.” Since the Times’ story, homeless nonprofits have been reaching out to their fellow organizations around the state and even in other states about the issue. Dawn Whitson had been working for months to figure out why the people living outside she works with weren’t receiving their checks at her office at homeless outreach nonprofit REACH. Then on Tuesday, she delivered letters from the IRS to half a dozen of her clients camping in South Park that said the IRS would be reissuing the second and third checks — to the tune of $2,000 — within a week. “Everyone was so thrilled — just overwhelmingly happy,” Whitson said. “I don’t know if I had gotten to the point where I had lost hope, (but) I was close. I had promised my clients that I would not give up on it.” Alison Eisinger, executive director of the Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness, who originally contacted Jayapal and Murray about the issue, said she was grateful for the temporary fix — but that there are many other barriers homeless people face in the bureaucratic maze of local, state and federal benefits. “As staff from Congresswoman Jayapal’s office correctly noted when they informed us of this tremendous heavy lifting that they had been able to do, this doesn’t solve the barriers, this is one important way to get around this set of barriers,” Eisinger said. “What we need are state and federal processes that anticipate and … smooth the path for people to understand and apply for and receive what’s coming to them.” Tax filers in King County have until Monday, May 17 to file their tax returns. Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser! A body has been found during a search for two British hikers who have been missing for a week in the Italian mountain range of the Dolomites had sent messages home on January 1 from Trentino they did not check in to take their flight home on January 6 Carabinieri and the local fire brigade are involved in the search teams have said that it is challenging to reach the location Aziz Ziriat and Samuel Harris had sent messages home on January 1 from Trentino Police have revealed that the two missing men were last seen in the San Valentino Valley which is near a mountain hut named Casina Dosson at the base of Mount Care Alto The alpine rescue service has said that the body was discovered in deep snow at an altitude of 2,600 metres Ziriat's girlfriend Rebecca Dimmock described the duo as "experienced hikers" telling the BBC: "They wanted to do a New Year's hike They wanted to go from hut to hut throughout the Dolomites "They were planning on going off-grid "I think they wanted to have some nights where they were out in nature and in fresh air and sleeping in the wild They have all the gear and they've done hikes before "But they also wanted to get into the huts and have fires and drink red wine because it was New Year's because he did message me at one point and he was carrying a log up the mountain to one of the huts but he said it was freezing," Dimmock added Officials are continuing the search for the two hikers while alpine rescue teams have deployed sniffer dogs to help the effort The search has been put on pause overnight although poor weather conditions have hindered the operation although poor weather conditions have hindered the operation A massive search and rescue operation was launched after the pair missed their flight home on Monday firefighters and police search the surrounding areas near the Adamello mountain range The officials' discovery of the body has followed the rescue service's confirmation that it had found rucksacks and possessions of the London hikers at the Malga Dosson refuge in the Dolomites since the hikers' possessions were found back at their accommodation it indicated that they both had planned to return to the refuge after their outing - Two Hampton Roads animal shelters joined forces to create a vet clinic for their animals A ribbon cutting happened Thursday for that addition. The Norfolk Animal Care and Adoption Centerprovided the space, the City of Norfolk provided the funding, and the Portsmouth Humane Society is supplying the staff Bureau manager Michelle Dosson says this dream was two years in the making She says they’re ready to get their animals adopted sooner with expedited veterinary care “We’re hoping to be able to catch up on that backlog and then have a quicker turnaround so those animals are able to be adopted they have to be spayed or neutered before they can be adopted,” Dosson explained The NACC also debuted their new mobile unit affectionately named “Waggin’ Wheels,” a name chosen after a vote through a community poll last year The shelter received a $150,000 grant to buy the van which is outfitted with 14 built-in crates to take animals out in the community to get them adopted If only the leaders of the Munich Agreement had known in 1938 what we fail to comprehend today the great lesson of how to avoid World War II might have helped us prevent the coming third: geopolitics is the art of choosing between the disagreeable and the disastrous The Wolf of Washington was particularly anticipated for his promised 24-hour miracle solution to Ukraine’s eleven-year-long conflict—a promise that seemed too good to be true As Trump rapidly reinstates his agenda with exhaustive use of executive orders in the White House foreign policy has been conducted à la chaine with a series of parleys with world leaders president has embarked on his pledge for a ‘peace deal’ reaffirming Europe’s security urgency with French President Emmanuel Macron and soon after convoking Ukraine’s leader of resistance to find an urgent solution to the conflict as we pass the three-year mark since Russia’s invasion on February 24 as he observed the same unpreparedness facing the rise of Hitler in 1933 “Not one of the lessons of the past has been learned and the situation is comparably more dangerous.”  More politics of action and less politics of debate must gear us toward understanding how things function within a system It would be naïve to believe that power players like Trump or Putin escape the complex rational calculus of power and conduct politics out of pure irrationality Trump knows that an immediately effective and durable peace plan with Russia entails surrendering Donbas and/or Crimea and denying the sovereignty of Ukraine supports Ukraine’s independence as a democratic sovereign state in Europe What is further undeniable is the cost of the action required today to uphold this ideal Given today’s payoff and expected utility of war both sides could choose to ‘compromise nothing and keep everything’ rather than ‘compromise a lot and gain little or nothing’ that peace at any cost can be more detrimental than war itself This means that seeking peace solely for the sake of peace is rarely a durable conflict resolution strategy Even more critically—and this is the core argument of this article—a peace settlement that fails to address the underlying distribution of power and the roles associated with it guarantees greater harm in the future For those reluctant to engage with the fire of power we remember the famous saying si vis pacem The conditions of today’s Faustian bargain lie not in the framing or provisions of Trump’s peace deal but in the consequences born out of three years of calamitous warfare and the eleven-year-long ineptitude of European leaders to address the Russian threat and apply the fundamentals of geopolitics and how a major disequilibrium between the two condemns a country to address this gap The introduction of structural uncertainty and ultimately the inversion of forces is the sequence that facilitates a country’s decision to no longer sacrifice power for security and resort to war Germany’s realization of its decline in the power-role gap and the unaccommodating nature of the international system that led it to adopt aggressive policies such as the invasion of Belgium and the broader escalation of WWI The denial of Germany’s ‘place in the sun’ coupled with the excessive perceptual uncertainty together with the mistaken belief that balance of power would be sufficient to offset massive systemic disequilibrium resulted in the inversion of force expectation by European decision-makers seeking to preserve their role and power NATO’s expansion failed to comprehend Russia’s growing disequilibrium in the power-role gap (rising frustration overly reliant on the fact that balance of power alone was sufficient coupled with the inelasticity of the systemic response and the West’s horizontal adjustments heightened tensions in power-role gaps leading to Russia’s next inflection point (i.e. Peace at any cost meant that the leaders behind the Munich Agreement disregarded Hitler’s aggression toward Czechoslovakia ignored the rising tide of fascist ideologies and essentially bought time while sending the wrong signal to a revisionist power seeking an illegitimate claim—all as it reached the most dangerous inflection point in its power-role trajectory ‘buying time’ with Russia under the illusion of peace reveals—with added cynicism—the West’s unresponsiveness to Russia’s ambitions Europe’s disregard for the future of power relations and a fundamental lack of commitment to long-term diplomatic resolution rooted in the premeditated but inadequate balancing of Russia has led to a cycle of diplomatic deception and betrayal culminating in Putin’s decision to resort to a full-scale invasion The Minsk agreements were a series of diplomatic fiascos that worsened the strategic landscape and set Ukraine on a path to conflict against an undeterred and deceitful Soviet empire in the making or NATO strategies should have been founded—even in a peace settlement tentative—on an assured pre-emptive defense in Europe even if this meant regional or global insecurity for Putin What was certain is that they would not have reproduced Neville Chamberlain’s mistake or the failures of Minsk’s II by accepting to subscribe to any form of peace exposing the flaws of Russia’s authoritarian regime and authoritarianism itself The considerable resources these regimes deploy to entrench their legitimacy and carve their credibility into nationalism are highly vulnerable to erosion Ukraine’s heroic defense against Russia’s army could have been sufficient to reverse the momentum of the Russian war machine especially as Ukraine enters its third year of ongoing attrition warfare and the misinterpretation that have developed throughout this enduring rivalry along with the exhausting attrition and the burden of inconcessible positions have hardened both sides’ political goals and potentially shifted the conflict into a win/lose dilemma in which the last resort is ‘victory’ through war such a victory through war could potentially represent Europe’s last war resorting to the outcome of the win/lose dilemma and triggering a major war with Russia is disastrous Understanding the stalemate of Ukraine’s geostrategic situation accounting for the accumulation of strategic friction it is rightfully engaging with the way power plays out today in order to ensure future peace Given Russia’s lack of credibility with European leaders it has tended to view the signing of agreements as an intermediary stage in their calculation of the expected utility of waging war rather than as a definitive end result of a negotiation A new European deal that does not account for Russia’s power calculations will simply set the stage for further confrontation Following the simple and cruel distribution of power in this negotiation could be the bravest attempt to resolve Ukraine’s martyrdom once and for all. In war, everything is simple; the simplest thing is difficult MD does not stand behind any specific agenda and arguments to the light and see what remains valid and sound Every day at the Compass Center services office where around 15,000 homeless and low-income Seattleites get their mail and use banking services Only a few hundred checks have ever arrived The people who haven’t received theirs are frustrated “It’s infuriating — we wish we could do more,” she said Congress has now passed several rounds of stimulus payments — which combined equal $3,200 maximum per person — intended to offset layoffs furloughs and other effects of the pandemic-battered economy The checks have gone to about 161 million people in the U.S. according to a Thursday estimate from the Internal Revenue Service But changing rules from the federal government ID requirements and scarce access to technology compounded by pandemic-caused shutdowns of libraries and day centers where homeless people would normally use computers have made it especially hard for the poorest to receive checks at a crucial time Interviews with homeless people and staff at organizations that serve them reveal many people living outside or even in shelters haven’t received even one of the stimulus checks “It could be a life-changer — it could be that ingredient that really moves people back into prosperity,” said Donald Whitehead executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless “If people can’t get that because of their homelessness The IRS directed questions from The Seattle Times to the Department of the Treasury which sends out the mailed checks; the department did not respond to a request for comment The IRS has distributed information “reminding people who don’t have a permanent address” that they could still be eligible to receive stimulus payments from the government filing taxes is just part of the struggle; actually getting and cashing the check has proved harder for most people The federal government has not offered ways to make that easier enabling millions of people who don’t normally file a tax return to receive these payments,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig wrote in the news release and we appreciate all the help we’ve been receiving from national and local groups to assist in this effort to reach the people who desperately need this help.” received his first stimulus payment and filed taxes to receive his second and third but he has yet to receive either He’s homeless “part-time” and spends the rest of the time in his partner’s apartment his partner says she received all three of her stimulus checks promptly McGee suspects the government is somehow delaying his checks specifically because his mailing address is associated with services for people who are impoverished He even signed up for direct deposit to get the second check He’s not the only one who thinks the address may be the issue: Dawn Whitson an outreach worker for Evergreen Treatment Services found that her clients who put down addresses such as Compass the Georgetown Food Bank and even her program’s office They would often receive a letter that said the check was on the way Whitson’s team signed up between 500 and 1,000 homeless people for the first stimulus check through filing taxes or the nonfiler system the government allowed for the first check but she only knows of a single person who has received their second or third filing taxes is the only way to get those checks — but even the clients she helped to file weeks ago haven’t received theirs When Whitson spoke to a local post office manager about the problem he thought someone at federal postal service headquarters was perhaps flagging these locations where thousands of people collect their mail as potential sources of fraud “I said ‘Who can I speak to on the other side?’” Whitson said “He was not able to direct me to anybody … This has been terribly frustrating.” A postal service spokesperson said they make “every effort” to deliver to the three facilities Whitson named and that they don’t declare such facilities “fraudulent.”  executive director of the Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness says other members of her nonprofit coalition are seeing similar problems with the second and third stimulus checks the postal service gave a heads-up when the first round of checks was coming last year but there’s been no such communication about the second or third if you’re housed or have access to the public libraries but under the current circumstances they are blockades.” met with Eisinger on Thursday to discuss the problem said in a statement that she was “working diligently” to ensure COVID-19 relief is being distributed quickly “Homelessness should not be a barrier to this critical relief,” Murray said “Delays are unacceptable and must be resolved It’s the federal government and the IRS’ responsibility to get those payments in people’s pockets.” has also tried calling the IRS but has only managed to find recorded messages pointing her to “trace forms” that need to be filed to find missing checks she’s put out a call to other nonprofits asking for volunteers “I have promised my clients that I would not give up on this money for them,” Whitson said People in the homeless community who have an advocate like Whitson are in the minority: Brendan Kelly who has been staying in a room above the Compass services office for about five months has never submitted taxes because he doesn’t understand how to do it and “Somebody mentioned it to me — I just was unfamiliar with the whole process,” Kelly said The deadline for filing taxes has been extended to May 17 and people who don’t owe the government money can get an extension until October Nonprofits are mobilizing: King County United Way volunteers will be holding clinics through October to help homeless and low-income people file forms filing has been the easiest part of the process I think this is the government’s way of just not giving out money to people,’ and I don’t think that was ever the strategy,” Whitson said “I just think there was a failure to plan ahead for circumstances like this.” Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser As Taiwan represents China’s final step toward national transformation and hegemony a war in the strait will emerge from the calculated balance between the expected utility of war over domestic stability based on the leaders’ ability to maintain regime legitimacy through pragmatic nationalism while mitigating ongoing threats to internal and external development the final step to China’s hegemonic ascent will inevitably involve addressing the dilemma of Taiwan’s reunification Taiwan is not merely a distant island on the horizon but the missing link to China’s ultimate socio-political transformation—the linchpin of its ‘Da Guo’ (Great Power) development within the system For those who viewed China’s rise as the emergence of a new ‘evil empire’ and foresaw it as the ‘high church of Realpolitik,’ the question has no longer been whether a war in the SCS will occur Xi Jinping’s (XJP) aggressive Wolf Warrior diplomacy and China’s global heist suggest that in time the rising dragon may soon set ablaze the free world of Western democracies while disputes and crises become less likely as it approaches its neighbors indicating that its behavior is not driven by the structural power constraints but by deeper domestic factors “unification between the two sides of the strait is the great trend of history.” XJP is also averse to the Western imperial notion that “if the empire is not expanding it is dying.” It becomes increasingly relevant considering that China has the highest number of nuclear neighbors of any country as well as the most extensive network of alliances China has made ‘norms of territorial integrity and against conquest’ its most precious position on the international stage The stark resurgence of the Century of Humiliation and hostile nationalism in XJP’s discourse coincides not with an aggressive resolve to recover Taiwan but with mounting internal and external systemic threats that converge through Taiwan: democratization and liberalization a rising middle class and social transformation and the endowment of China’s newfound power-role in the system This apparent aggressiveness is not purely driven by tributary-nationalistic expansionist goals amplified by China’s power but rather as a means to maintain domestic stability and legitimacy in the face of growing threats The relationship between China’s external power and aggressive nationalism with its internal affairs is not hierarchical but shaped by Hobson’s concept of agential power State leaders exercise agential power when they can “make domestic or foreign policy and shape the domestic realm free of domestic social-structural requirements.” Effective policymaking—both international and domestic—relies on accommodating internal constraints a performance-based social contract of competency for legitimacy enables it to assert influence while maintaining domestic stability in favor of constructing the world’s largest structure the Great Wall—prioritizing defense and stability before anything else momentarily settling for the least-preferred strategic outcome As XJP navigates China’s final stage of domestic and international development in the 21st century he must also manage the core tenets of Mencian security strategy: (1) domestic order and (2) protection against external threats when the non-material political needs threaten the regime’s performance-based legitimacy XJP reverted to near-totalitarian authoritarianism in an effort to carve his regime in a Confucian Chinese way has emerged as the ideological consequence of China’s economic boom filling the ideological vacuum left by political pragmatism represents the Pandora’s box of China’s regime legitimacy seen as ‘good’ and the East as ‘bad,’ with China embodying the new Soviet Union has reinforced the geopolitical divide beyond trade tariff wars Taiwan The Pandora’s Box of China’s Two-Faced Crisis Taiwan serves as the prism through which China’s internal and external developmental challenges converge allowing external threats to exploit domestic vulnerabilities and create the very social chaos China fears It would be seen as illegitimate for XJP to claim the great power status of China and invoke nationalism for unity and development if the country is not physically unified complicating international relations in the region since the 21st century To what extent can China’s Da Guo today compromise power for security especially when Taiwan is both a function of power and a source of insecurity Anchoring political legitimacy in ideological nationalism is a skillful move—easily assimilated by the majority While the pragmatic intensification of nationalism has made China more assertive, it has not led to irrational or inflexible behavior Although China has a strong history of using nationalism pragmatically it remains to be seen how far the CCP can rely on diversionary nationalism to maintain legitimacy and domestic stability as well as mitigate Taiwan separatism in the face of mounting internal and external pressures XJP must be cautious: by wielding the nationalist sword against Taiwan he may soon realize its double-edged nature—nationalism is both a means and an end In the latest battle for strategic autonomy Emmanuel Macron has notched up a small victory American Fiona Scott Morton resigned from her post as chief economist of the EU’s Directorate-General for Competition Morton was to become head of the body that manages the functioning of the European market despite many believing she is compromised by her previous roles advising companies in Silicon Valley at a time when the EU should be curbing the power of US monopolies in Europe such an important position was being granted to their lobbyist The Macron government was equally united in its opposition Objections to the American candidate were also voiced from within the EU itself where five commissioners — including Josep Borrell and Thierry Breton — wrote a letter to President von der Leyen why she did not find a position in the Biden administration as she was viewed as not being assertive enough towards Silicon Valley the Commission “serves the interest of China” Serious concerns remain that the next candidate for chief economist, an Austrian with American citizenship, Florian Ederer, will clash with Paris as well. He has admitted his own scepticism about loosening the rules around industrial policy and said “the guiding principle should be protecting competition and not protecting competitors” even if it disadvantages European companies This is the new division between Paris and Brussels: a division between the market-brain that still predominates at levels of the EU and the strategic realpolitik emanating from the Palais de l’Élysée By Krzysztof Tyszka-Drozdowski For Macron, meanwhile, the fact that he was able to mobilise opposition against the American candidate is the first real success of his vision of Europe. But in doing so, he has extended the fear of loss of sovereignty to the rest of Europe’s leaders — who already live surrounded by headlines auguring continental decline. According to the IMF the eurozone economy grew about 6% in the last 15 years not only is the Old Continent becoming poorer relative to the New but the essential basis of sovereignty and strength in the 21st century is its Achilles’ heel: among the 20 largest technology companies the impact would either be negative or prevent them from doing business altogether while Macron can claim a symbolic victory over Morton’s resignation it hides a deeper problem for the proponents of strategic autonomy namely the lack of vision on how to accomplish it little more than a manifestation of sterile anti-Americanism Georges Suffert addressed the French in his book Les Nouveaux Cowboys which stemmed from his observations of Silicon Valley “I am going to tell you why you don’t like Americans: they play and before long you will no longer know how to play in it.” The big question for Macron’s grand strategy after l’affaire Morton is: can Europe rule Krzysztof Tyszka-Drozdowski is a writer from Poland Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Please click here to view our media pack for more information on advertising and partnership opportunities with UnHerd © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices DeKalb County High School Future Business Leaders of America members recently placed in their regional competition at MTSU They have advanced to state competition in March in Chattanooga News Feed THE girlfriend of one of the missing Brit's in the Italian Dolomites has revealed his final text to her A desperate search and rescue mission has been launched for Aziz Ziriat who have been missing since New Year's Day after they went on a mountain hike The pair were last seen and heard from a week ago, after sending messages home from the Italian Dolomites Fears for their safety grew after they missed their flight home on 6 January The friends were last known to be near a hut called Casina Dosson which is near the town Tione Di Trento Rebecca Dimmock, the girlfriend of Aziz, called the pair "experienced hikers" but revealed she last spoke to her boyfriend around 10 am on New Year's Day, according to BBC reports Rebecca said: "He sent some photos of the mountains and a couple of himself "He said his phone was about to die but he would write back to me properly soon." Rebecca also shared that the pals were planning to go between huts in the mountain range on their New Year's hike Rebecca revealed that her messages stopped going through to him as it is believed the pair's phones died or lost service And video shared with The Telegraph shows Aziz preparing to hike the mountain range on New Year's Day with Sam he films the mountain range he plans to scale as well as a stone shelter where the friends are believed to have stayed overnight "There has not been a cloud in the sky since we got here which is slightly unnerving but also quite jokes." He adds: "I want to attack this today get up into the some of the 3,000 bits which are up yonder." The camera then pans to the mountain lodge and Aziz says: "We just spent the night in this little bivacco [mountain shelter] for the last two days lugging up this God-forsaken valley another day frolicking before schlepping over to the next valley." Aziz is said to have sent various messages and pictures home after the footage was taken A mass search for the friends has encountered difficulties due to heavy snowfall in recent days Italian rescue teams revealed the harsh weather has made reaching the area increasingly difficult Authorities added that it was unusual for hikers in the area to go missing this time of year Several of Sam and Aziz's friends are understood to have flown from the UK to help with the frantic search Crystal Palace F.C. has appealed for information to help find the duo as one of the friends works for the club Aziz works for the Premier League club's official Palace For Life charity A desperate post from Palace on X said: "A member of the Palace For Life staff and his friend have been missing since 1st January in the Dolomites is able to support further or has any information that will help please call 999 and reference CAD 0197/07 Jan25." the chief executive of Microsoft’s AI division also issued a desperate appeal on LinkedIn on Tuesday Two of my friends have gone missing whilst hiking in the Dolomites Saf also told The BBC that he would be one of the friends flying out to Italy to help with the frantic search He said: "We are going to leave soon and fly to Italy and be on the ground and coordinate search efforts "We're not going to be going up the mountain we want to be in the town coordinating with the local authorities." The club also shared a map of possible routes the duo could have taken on their hike Palace fans have been urged to share images and information on their social outlets to increase the search for the missing friends Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ The TimesThe man found buried in snow in the Italian Dolomites on Wednesday has been named as Samuel Harris one of two British hikers missing in the area since New Year’s Day Italy’s Alpine rescue service said Harris’s body was found at the base of the Carè Alto peak and suggested in a statement that he may have fallen from rocks above the spot Following the discovery of Harris’s body at 1pm a team of rescuers and sniffer dogs continued to search for his hiking partner when the operation was called off for the day as wind increased and fog closed in The worsening weather meant the helicopter the rescuers needed to descend to their base needed Two men from London were last heard from on January 1 while trekking in Northern Italy News | London Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice A body has been found in the search for two British men who haven’t been heard from since New Year’s Day, Italian authorities have confirmed Italy’s alpine rescue service revealed on Wednesday they had found an “unfortunately lifeless” body “buried under the snow" in a high-altitude area in the Dolomites The two men from London - Aziz Ziriat, 36, and Samuel Harris, 35 - were last seen in San Valentino Valley as they kicked off the new year with a trek through the snowy Italian mountains the experienced hikers shared videos with friends in which they spoke about scaling 3,000m peaks in the wilderness A search and rescue team was then put together after the pair failed to make their return flight to the UK on Monday sharing messages on social media and calling for help in locating the missing men Earlier searches by teams from Alpine Rescue Carabinri and the local fire brigade had faced challenges due to severe weather conditions in the Dolomites a spokeswoman for the search and rescue mission said: “The weather was bad today so it was unsafe to go to high altitudes on foot and the helicopter wasn’t able to fly over the area.” so they should be able to use the helicopter which has an electronic scanner able to pick up a signal from electronic devices.” Local authorities have now confirmed that a body had been found more than 2,600m up the mountain and an investigation into the incident is underway The discovery of the body came shortly after rescuers found the duo’s backpacks sleeping bags and belongings at the Malga Dosson refuge where they were believed to have been staying Danny Dyer’s children ‘petrified’ when visiting council estate where he grew up Sweet Female Attitude brighten January with free flowers and coffee for Londoners stabbed to death on London bus ‘was aspiring rapper’ What a lack of sleep does to your body and health It’s been reported that rescuers were able to locate the body after tracing a signal from one of the men’s mobile phones with teams on foot and sniffer dogs scouring the nearby area for further signs of the hikers Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications James O'Brien is Leading Britain's Conversation have not been heard from since January 1 after sending messages home They both missed their flight back to the UK on January 6 Carabinieri and the local fire brigade are working together to find the missing Brits but heavy snowfall in the area means progress has been slow Authorities have said it is highly unusual for hikers to vanish at this time of year Read more: Urgent manhunt launched after man attempts to kidnap two children on busy London street Friends of the pair are flying out to Northern Italy in a bid to aid in the search Loved ones of the two men have flooded social media with appeals to help find them wrote online: "Crystal Palace urges supporters to share any information they might have to help locate Palace for Life Foundation staff member Aziz Ziriat who have been missing since 1st January whilst hiking in the Dolomites mountains in northeastern Italy "The two were last heard from at 14:20 on Wednesday and they were believed to be near a hut called Casina Dosson – near the town Tione Di Trento We are appealing for anyone familiar with the area please dial 999 and reference CAD 0197/07 Jan25." CEO of Microsoft AI and a friend of the men took to LinkedIn to appeal for information They are both 35 and have been missing since 1st January while hiking in the snow and possibly this route (see image attached) If you have experience with mountain rescue or know people who might be able to help please dm me asap See more More Latest News See more Latest News See more The News Explained See more Royals See more Highlights & Opinion See more More Topics A Lubbock County grand jury issued the following indictments Tuesday: Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon: Walter Stenger Aggravated assault against a public servant: Zachius Stevens Domestic assault with prior: Jose Rodriguez Driving while intoxicated with child: Tieler Palmer Evading arrest with previous conviction: Noel Flores Evading with a motor vehicle: Bryce Stilwell Fraudulent use/possession of identification info.: Brian Rowe Possession of a controlled substance: Edward Johnson Possession of a controlled substance with intent: Alejandro Morales-Sigala Possession of a controlled substance (penalty grade two): Michael Helms Possession of a controlled substance with intent (penalty grade two): Cade Seymore Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle: Brian Rowe A body has been found in the search for two British men who went missing while hiking in the Italian Dolomites Italy's alpine rescue service has said were last heard from on New Year's Day They last spoke to friends and family that day sending a video of the scenery in the Trentino region of northeast Italy The pair did not check into their flight home on January 6 A spokesperson for Italy's National Alpine Cliff and Cave Rescue Corps (CNSAS) said ground teams had found a body in the area of Passo di Conca "sadly deceased The rescue teams had been searching the area after tracking a "phone of one of the two mountaineers" An investigation is under way into the circumstances of the incident The CNSAS said the search would continue and the families of both men had been informed told the PA news agency the pair were "experienced hikers" who liked to go off the grid but "alarm bells were raised" when they failed to check in for their return flight He said: "They are experienced hikers and they go a couple of times a year It wasn't surprising that they had no signal as they like going off the grid "Alarm bells were raised though when they didn't turn up for their flight on January 6 "Helicopters are now searching two specific locations - two refuge huts "We think that's going to be the best chance of success."We're all waiting anxiously and the next few hours are crucial." Mathura lies four hours by road from Delhi Those arriving by train can disembark at Mathura Junction It also has a steady WiFi connection for workations head to the sandstone gazebo that sits in the middle of an elevated grass lawn so you can retreat from the bustle of the day for a meditative evening MVT Restaurant has an expansive multicuisine menu recommends the restaurant’s wood-fired pizza followed by blueberry cheesecake or chocolate cake with a side of cream Govinda’s Restaurant is another popular choice The restaurant is housed at ISKCON temples around the world and serves a buffet as well as an à la carte menu There’s also Dasaprakash for South Indian fare and 11 FLOWERS Rooftop Café for a breezy evening meal saiko3p/Getty ImagesOf the places to visit in Mathura and Vrindavan the Shri Krishna Janmasthan temple complex in Mathura is a must It is believed to have been built at the exact location where lord Krishna was born Garbha Griha shrine and Bhagavata Bhavan along with a steep tank called the Potra Kund Observe the marble pavilions and spacious verandahs where Krishna was born to parents Devaki and Vasudeva the inner sanctum was constructed right above the famed prison A six-hour circuitous trek in the town of Govardhan takes you to the top of this eponymous 80ft-tall sandstone hill. On your way, take a dip in the famed Radha Kund and Shyam Kund by temples steeped in Krishna lore. Look out for the stone cenotaphs while crossing the Kusum Sarovar lake, and for Giriraj Temple—the most popular temple here Karir shares that the trek is just as much about the fellow travellers “You’ll come across devotees who take the circumambulation two to three times a day while saints travel with a cart to eat and sleep throughout the day and night.” If you are lost as they are well educated in multiple languages as well as the scriptures of the Vedas and the Upanishads.Alternatively: Swap out the trek for the nearby town of Barsana Barsana is surrounded by four sacred peaks and topped by the Ladliji Temple Visit this temple to decipher stories of his life through the stunning ceiling paintings.Andrey Khrobostov / Alamy Stock PhotoOrnate murals adorn this shrine in Mathura where Lord Krishna Visit this temple to decipher stories of his life through the stunning ceiling paintings Entry to the premises is allowed from two gates which lead to the two-storey structure fronted by an open courtyard flooded with pilgrims the temple organises the popular Krishna Janmotsav Rituals and ceremonies carry on throughout the day beginning with the Mangal Aarti at 7am when devotees can get the first glimpse of the lord Spend the day witnessing rajbhog—the main food offering and utthapan—waking up the lord with perfume and fruits Said to be the home of the demon king Kansa, the maternal uncle of Krishna, the fort Kans Qila lies in majestic ruins today. The walls reveal intricacies of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles narrating stories of the various rulers who took over its care over centuries The monument dates back to the time of the Mahabharata but was restored in the 16th century by Raja Man Singh of Amber Visit the palatial fort for a dose of history and portraits against a ’grammable backdrop get a batch of Mathura ka peda packed at Brijwasi Sweets Sweet and savoury treats abound in the streets off Mathura's Holi Gate. Start off at Oma Pehalwan Kachauri Wale, one of the oldest shops in town serving fiery kachoris and crunchy jalebis. For bedai and dubki wale aloo (a signature when it comes to Mathura's street food) Shankar Mithai Wala has established itself as a favourite among locals There's no garlic or onion in the food here Legend has it that the Shri Radha Vallabhji Maharaj idol in this temple was given as a blessing by Lord Shiva to his devotee Shri Atmadev in appreciation of his arduous devotion Visit the temple to admire the stunning architecture and listen to local lores that surround one of the oldest temples in Vrindavan There's no better way to get in touch with the heartbeat of this town. The Vrindavan Parikrama is a 13km long route snaking through the town that pilgrims cover on foot Take off on the trail early in the morning and you’ll be joined by the devout and the curious welcomed by locals and blessed by priests on the way as you walk past temples and houses The route can be completed in about three hours The smoke and honking of the road give way to the smell of chandan and the vibrations of kirtan in some of these shrines while at others you can only hear the shuffling of the faithful kneeling before the lord.With a rickshaw steering you through the busy streets the trail takes up to three hours with enough time to stop for a cup of tea by the River Yamuna eateries and a guesthouse where you can learn you can catch the Raj Bhog aarti at 12pm right before the temple closes for the afternoon devotees are spread across the courtyard—some lost in a dance of devotion one by one they take over to devote their song to the lord as the afternoon meal is served to the idols before being shared with the devotees as prasadam remain flooded with pilgrims even before the temple opens but reveals a breathtaking image adorned in hefty ornamentation and divine energy where the extant idol of Bankey Bihari was originally consecrated Watch out for monkeys and hold on to your spectacles while you cross the Rang Mahal temple where Radha is believed to visit every night Apocryphal stories relate that makeup and ornaments are left here behind locked doors every night The temple shuts at 5pm while the forest is closed off after dark that’s when Krishna and Radha visit and the trees dance in coquetry “There’s no better time to visit the temple than in the evenings,” says Vivek Surve.shalender kumar / Getty ImagesThis 54-acre site developed by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat has enough to keep you occupied, with educational centres and pillarless satsang halls. The temple is a stunning example of Nagara architecture carved out of Italian marble. Post sunset, the structure’s imposing facade is illuminated by a dance of colourful lights, and a musical fountain show commences at 7.30pm. All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service (updated April 1 2021) and Policy and Cookie Statement (updated April 1 except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.