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UK bans ninja swords in move to crack down on violent knife crime
Brits have until Aug. 1 to get rid of all their ninja swords as the U.K.’s Labour government looks to crack down on knife crime.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Thursday that «ninja swords» specifically will be banned this summer after the 2022 murder of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was stabbed to death by a ninja sword just outside his home.
«Confirmed: Ninja swords will be banned by this summer,» Starmer said in a post on X. «When we promise action we take it.»
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An activist wearing a T-shirt with the slogan «Put Knives Down!» stands in front of pictures of victims of knife crime during a demonstration outside New Scotland Yard. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The new ban, «Ronan’s Law,» will now make it illegal to possess, sell, make or import ninja swords.
«Since losing our beautiful boy Ronan, we have relentlessly campaigned for a ban on ninja swords, the lethal weapon which took his life,» Pooja Kanda, the mother to the 16-year-old boy, said, according to a government readout. «We believe ninja swords have no place in our society other than to seriously harm and kill.
«Each step towards tackling knife crime is a step towards getting justice for our boy Ronan.»
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The British government has set up a surrender process for any owner of a ninja sword, defined as a blade between 14 inches and 24 inches «with one straight cutting edge with a tanto-style point.»
«From 1 August, anyone caught in possession of a ninja sword in private could face 6 months in prison, and this will later increase to 2 years under new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill,» the government said in a statement. «There is already a penalty of up to 4 years in prison for carrying any weapon in public.»
Knife crime has long plagued the U.K. and though offenses involving a «sharp instrument» committed last year across England and Wales were down from a 15-year peak in 2019, they were still substantially higher than crimes reported in 2010, when 33,800 crimes were reported, versus the 50,500 cases in 2024.
A person views knives available to purchase via an online website. (Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
A sharp instrument, according to the U.K., could include knives, but it could also include the use of a broken bottle to commit an offense.
The U.K. saw a significant drop from the 52,000 cases involving a «sharp instrument» reported in 2019 by the following year with 41,700 cases reported.
But these incidents have continued to increase each year since.
Nearly two dozen different types of knives are already banned in the UK, including swords that are not a part of a national uniform, switch blades, zombie knives, belt buckle knives or butterfly knives, to name a few.
Knives that are permitted are those used for cooking or while working and have a cutting edge of no more than three inches.
Though the government states that «it’s illegal to use any knife or weapon in a threatening way.»
Under Ronan’s Law, jail sentences were also increased for selling knives to minors and the illegal sale of banned knives.
An officer outside All Saints Catholic High School on Granville Road in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, after a 15-year-old boy died in a stabbing at the school Feb. 3, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)
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«Knife crime is destroying young lives as too many teenagers are being drawn into violence, and it is far too easy for them to get hold of dangerous weapons,» Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement. «Ronan Kanda was just 16 when he was ruthlessly killed by two boys only a year older than him.
«We are acting with urgency to bring forward measures to prevent deadly weapons from getting into the wrong hands and will continue to do whatever is needed to prevent young people being killed on our streets as part of our mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.»
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Democrat claims SAVE Act would block married women from voting; Republicans say that’s wrong
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Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., is claiming that under Republican-led voter integrity legislation, married women would find themselves unable to vote unless they changed their birth certificate to match other government-issued ID.
«Nearly 70 million married women in this country have changed their last name, but their birth certificates don’t reflect that,» Scholten said at a press event, explaining her opposition to the SAVE America Act.
«In Michigan’s third district alone, 167,000 women could find themselves unable to register simply because when they got married, they didn’t change both their ID and their birth certificate.»
SCHUMER FACES BACKLASH AFTER CALLING SAVE ACT ‘JIM CROW’ DESPITE PREVIOUS ALLEGATION FALLING FLAT
Hillary Scholten, left, pictured alongside an «Only Citizens Vote» sign, right. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images; Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
However, under Michigan law, marriage isn’t listed as one of the reasons to correct a birth certificate.
According to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, citizens may only change their birth certificate to correct a birth record, change a sex designation, correct a place of birth, or amend a parental record.
Scholten, like many Democrats, has voiced opposition to the SAVE America Act — a bill that would require federal voter registrants to present government-issued photo ID to verify their citizenship.
The bill would also require a photo ID to vote.
HAKEEM JEFFRIES PRESSED ON DEMOCRAT OPPOSITION TO VOTER ID
A Florida voter registration application is shown, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. (Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo)
In their view, the bill creates too many obstacles for voters to participate in federal elections.
«Republicans are trying to sell the SAVE Act as a way to stop non-citizens from voting, but we know that’s already illegal. What this bill really does is make it harder for citizens to vote, especially women,» Scholten said when the House considered an earlier version of the legislation last year.
Although the bill lists a birth certificate as one way voters can confirm their identity, it does not specify a last-name match requirement in the manner Scholten described.
Instead, voters can use «a certified birth certificate issued by a state in which the applicant was born … [that] includes the full name, date of birth, and place of birth of the applicant» to supplement other forms of identification.
A senior GOP staffer confirmed that the SAVE Act does not come with the requirements Scholten described.
«That is not right at all and simply another Democrat propaganda talking point,» the staffer said. «Every married woman should have their marriage license.»
The office of Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, one of the many who has helped champion the SAVE Act, pointed to an analysis of the bill laid out by the Federalist Society, a conservative-leaning legal group.
Attendees listen at an «Only Citizens Vote» bus tour rally advocating passage of the SAVE Act at Upper Senate Park outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Sept. 10, 2025. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
«The SAVE Act itself contemplates these name changes and provides protections so that Americans who have changed their names — because of marriage or otherwise — are not prevented from voting,» the group’s page reads.
«The bipartisan federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is commanded by the SAVE Act to establish guidelines for states to accept supplementary documents — for instance, a marriage license — to prove citizenship when a voter’s birth certificate and current name do not match. Those on the Left who claim that the SAVE Act will disenfranchise millions of married women are simply wrong; they ought to read the bill’s text and see that it provides mechanisms to ensure that this does not happen.»
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Among other forms of valid paperwork, voters can also display a passport, a REAL ID, or a military identification card to prove their citizenship.
Scholten’s office did not respond to a request for clarification on her statement.
congress,politics,democratic party,elections
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Ukraine strikes major Russian ammo depot with ‘Flamingo’ missile as Trump urges Zelenskyy to move on deal
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Video released this week shows Ukraine launching domestically produced FP-5 «Flamingo» cruise missiles, as Kyiv pushes deeper strikes on Russian military infrastructure nearly four years into the war.
Ukraine’s military said the missiles were used in an overnight attack on February 11 to 12 targeting a missile, ammunition and an explosives arsenal near the settlement of Kotluban in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, describing the facility as belonging to Russia’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, known as GRAU, and said it was among the largest ammunition storage hubs used by Russian forces.
Ukrainian officials said powerful explosions and secondary detonations were recorded at the site, while the extent of damage was still being assessed.
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Ukraine launches domestically produced long-range FP-5 «Flamingo» cruise missiles toward targets in Russia. (East2West)
Russian regional authorities acknowledged an incident at a Defense Ministry facility in the same area. Volgograd Governor Andrey Bocharov said air defenses repelled a missile attack and that falling debris triggered a fire at a military facility near Kotluban. He said an evacuation of nearby residents was ordered during firefighting because of the threat of detonation. Anadolu Agency reported that buses were prepared to move residents to temporary accommodation centers.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has also publicly referenced the Flamingo system. In a daily update carried by Russian state media, the ministry said its air defenses shot down five Flamingo long-range cruise missiles over the previous 24 hours. The ministry did not provide evidence in the statement, and Kyiv has not confirmed how many missiles were intercepted.
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Footage shows the launch of Ukraine’s homegrown long-range «Flamingo» cruise missiles during a strike on Russian military infrastructure. (East2West)
Ukraine has increasingly highlighted indigenous long-range capabilities, including the FP-5. An East-to-West News agency video report previously cited Ukrainian officials describing the missile’s range as 3,000 kilometers, or about 1,864 miles, and said officials claim accuracy within about 14 meters, though battlefield performance is difficult to independently verify.
In response to a reporter’s question on Friday on the talks between the sides, President Donald Trump put the onus back on President Zelenskyy to make a deal.
«Well, Zelenskyy is going to have to get moving. Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelenskyy is going to have to get moving otherwise, he’s going to miss a great opportunity. He has to move,» he said.
A new round of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine is expected in Geneva next week, even as fighting persists along the more than 1,200-kilometer front line.
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Ukraine fires six FP-5 Flamingo missiles in a night strike on Russia’s 117th GRAU arsenal in Kotluban, Volgograd region. Feb. 11, 2025. (East2West)
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Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks across Ukraine continue, saying on Friday that a Russian drone assault on port infrastructure near Odesa killed one person and injured six others, while a separate strike near the eastern front line killed three brothers, including an eight-year-old and wounded their mother and grandmother.
ukraine,russia,military,wars,donald trump,volodymyr zelenskyy
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Zoológicos de Estados Unidos permiten nombrar cucarachas y ratas con el nombre de tu ex por San Valentín
El mes de febrero marca el inicio de una campaña inusual en varios zoológicos de Estados Unidos, donde se invita a los visitantes a participar en iniciativas que permiten nombrar cucarachas, ratas u otros animales con el nombre de un ex o alguien no grato. La propuesta, que comenzó en 2011 y se consolida cada San Valentín, está dirigida a quienes buscan alternativas simbólicas a las tradiciones románticas y tiene como fin recaudar fondos para la conservación de la fauna. Según detalló NBC News, esta tendencia se ha extendido en instituciones de distintas ciudades del país.
La iniciativa tuvo su origen en el Bronx Zoo, ubicado en Nueva York, que lanzó la campaña “Name-a-Roach” en 2011, permitiendo a cualquier persona donar dinero y asignar el nombre que desee a una cucaracha silbadora de Madagascar. De acuerdo con el zoológico, las donaciones dan acceso a un certificado digital personalizado y, en ediciones recientes, a la posibilidad de enviar mensajes. El programa ha sido replicado y adaptado por otros recintos como el San Antonio Zoo en Texas y el Brookfield Zoo en Chicago, ampliando la oferta para incluir ratas y vegetales, que pueden ser utilizados como alimento para otros animales.
Estos programas surgieron como una respuesta a la necesidad de encontrar nuevas fuentes de financiamiento para proyectos de conservación y educación ambiental. Desde el lanzamiento del “Name-a-Roach”, la estrategia se expandió a otros zoológicos, como el Maryland Zoo y el Maritime Aquarium en Connecticut, que han sumado propuestas similares. La información fue verificada por NBC News, que consultó a instituciones participantes y revisó sus materiales oficiales. Los fondos recaudados se destinan a programas de protección animal y mejora de instalaciones.
El programa “Name-a-Roach” del Bronx Zoo permite elegir un nombre para una cucaracha silbadora de Madagascar mediante una donación. El participante recibe un certificado digital, que puede personalizar, y la acción se presenta como un gesto simbólico para quienes desean dejar atrás una relación o simplemente hacer un obsequio diferente en San Valentín. Según el zoológico, la especie elegida no es invasora y su tenencia no representa riesgos ambientales.
En el San Antonio Zoo, el programa “Cry Me a Cockroach” amplía las opciones. Los participantes pueden nombrar cucarachas, ratas o vegetales y elegir que estos sean ofrecidos como alimento a animales carnívoros del recinto. El Brookfield Zoo en Chicago también ofrece la posibilidad de bautizar cucarachas y exhibe los nombres en un panel dentro de sus instalaciones, de acuerdo con la cobertura de NBC News.
La oferta de los zoológicos estadounidenses va más allá de las cucarachas. Entre las opciones disponibles, según recopiló NBC News, se encuentran:
- Nombrar ratas: El San Antonio Zoo permite que las ratas bautizadas con el nombre indicado sean dadas a reptiles.
- Nombrar vegetales: También en el San Antonio Zoo, los vegetales pueden recibir nombres y ser utilizados como alimento.
- Nombrar montones de estiércol: El Maryland Zoo ofrece la posibilidad de asignar el nombre de un ex a una pila de excremento animal, como variante simbólica.
- Nombrar peces para ser alimentados a otros animales: El Maritime Aquarium en Connecticut incorpora esta opción, permitiendo “despedir” a una persona simbólicamente.
La participación en estos programas no está limitada a personas con exparejas. Según declaraciones recogidas por NBC News, algunos participantes han optado por asignar nombres de conceptos abstractos, como “el invierno”, o de personas ajenas al ámbito sentimental.
Las campañas están abiertas a cualquier mayor de edad que desee realizar una donación. La gestión se realiza en línea, y el certificado digital puede personalizarse con mensajes adicionales. Según el testimonio de Lily L., residente de Nueva York, recogido por NBC News, la campaña se utiliza también como obsequio para amistades: “Nombré cucarachas en honor a los ex terribles de mis amigas como una broma”, explicó.
La flexibilidad de la propuesta permite que quienes no tengan un ex o no deseen participar por motivos sentimentales, puedan igual sumarse nombrando animales con el nombre de cualquier persona, concepto o incluso estación del año. Shannon Lee, de Ohio, relató a NBC News que utilizó la campaña para bautizar un gusano con el nombre de “invierno”.
Los zoológicos participantes han informado que el dinero recaudado se utiliza exclusivamente en programas de conservación y educación ambiental. Según la información publicada por el Bronx Zoo y el San Antonio Zoo, las donaciones respaldan proyectos de protección de especies, mantenimiento de instalaciones y actividades educativas. Además, en Estados Unidos, el aporte es deducible de impuestos, lo que incrementa el atractivo para algunos donantes.
En el caso del San Antonio Zoo, los responsables destacaron en información difundida por NBC News que los animales utilizados para alimentación forman parte habitual de la dieta de los carnívoros del zoológico, y que la campaña no implica prácticas diferentes a las habituales en el manejo de fauna bajo cuidado humano.
Los zoológicos han subrayado que la elección de especies para estos programas responde a criterios de seguridad ambiental. El Bronx Zoo confirmó a NBC News que las cucarachas empleadas no son invasoras y no presentan riesgos para el entorno. Además, el uso de ratas, vegetales o peces se ajusta a las prácticas de alimentación habituales en los recintos.
Las campañas han sido presentadas como una alternativa creativa de recaudación de fondos, sin efectos adversos para los animales involucrados, según fuentes institucionales consultadas por NBC News. La mayoría de los zoológicos participantes publica información sobre el destino de los recursos y el impacto de los proyectos financiados en sus sitios web oficiales.
Desde su lanzamiento en 2011, la campaña “Name-a-Roach” del Bronx Zoo ha experimentado un crecimiento sostenido en participación, según datos recogidos por NBC News. El modelo se ha expandido a otros centros, generando iniciativas similares en distintas regiones del país. La originalidad de la propuesta y la cobertura mediática han contribuido a incrementar la visibilidad de los zoológicos y sus programas de conservación.
En ediciones recientes, los zoológicos han ampliado la oferta de productos, sumando mensajes personalizados y exhibiciones públicas de los nombres elegidos. Según la información difundida por NBC News, el flujo de donaciones en febrero aumenta y contribuye a financiar operaciones durante el resto del año.
La recaudación obtenida a través de estas campañas representa una fuente adicional de ingresos para los zoológicos estadounidenses. De acuerdo con la información proporcionada por las propias instituciones y recogida por NBC News, los fondos permiten sostener programas de protección de especies en peligro, financiar mejoras en infraestructuras y desarrollar actividades educativas para la comunidad.
El enfoque simbólico del programa ha permitido atraer a un público diverso que, fuera de las celebraciones tradicionales de San Valentín, elige participar en una acción que combina humor, desahogo y apoyo a la conservación animal. La tendencia evidencia la búsqueda de estrategias innovadoras en la recaudación de fondos para la protección de la biodiversidad.
cucaracha,insecto,mano humana,Gromphadorhina portentosa,cucaracha silbadora,naturaleza,entomología,mascota exótica,biodiversidad,ciencia
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