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The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
BSP leader Armstrong murder case: Didn't you even conduct identification parade, Madras High Court asks Chennai police
The Madras High Court on Monday (July 28, 2025) questioned Greater Chennai City Police for not having complied with even the basic requirement of conducting an identification parade in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader K. Armstrong murder case despite there being many eye witnesses to the crime. Justice P. Velmurugan said, most of the criminal cases end up in acquittal only because of the flaws in the investigation and the present case before him was a classic example. He said, availability of CCTV footage of the crime could not be cited as reason to dispense with the identification parade. When Additional Advocate General (AAG) P. Kumaresan said, the media too had published pictures of the accused and hence an identification parade might not have been of much use, the judge asked, 'Was the media the eye witness to the crime? Media may publish any picture for TRP (Television Rating Points).' According to the prosecution, Armstrong was hacked to death by an eight-member armed gang in the presence of his elder brother K. Veeramani, driver Abdul Kani, real estate broker Balaji and building construction workers Mohanraj and Suresh at Perambur in Chennai on July 5, 2024. Mr. Veeramani too had suffered stab injuries, on his head and back, when he tried to protect his brother and it was on his complaint, the police had registered the First Information Report. The injured complainant had categorically told the police that he would be able to identify the assailants. Yet, the police had miserably failed to conduct an identification parade, the judge lamented. Though the defence counsel would have attacked the results of the parade by citing publication of photographs of the accused in the media, that should not have prevented the police from complying with the legal requirement, he said. The observations were made before the judge reserved his orders on a petition filed by Armstrong's another brother K. Immanuvel to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The petitioner had sought transfer on the ground that the Chennai police had not investigated the case properly. Though the police had completed the investigation in the case and laid a charge sheet against as many as 30 individuals, the petitioner relied upon a Supreme Court verdict to contend that the High Court could still transfer the investigation to the CBI if it was not satisfied with the probe by the local police. Justice Velmurugan told the AAG he would go through the case papers and then decide whether to set aside the charge sheet and order a fresh investigation by the Greater Chennai City police itself or to transfer the probe to any other investigating agency as sought by the petitioner. In a counter affidavit to the transfer plea, the police told the court a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a Joint Commissioner of Police and comprising one Deputy Commissioner, two Assistant Commissioners, 16 Inspectors, 19 Sub Inspectors and 44 constables was formed to solve the Armstrong murder case. The investigation was conducted from all angles and it revealed that the motive for the murder was gang rivalry and previous enmity due to the 2023 murder of 'Arcot' Suresh. Hence, the police filed a 7,087-page charge sheet against 30 individuals who included the wife, brother, brother-in-law, other relatives and associates of Suresh. The prime accused was convict Nagendran who was undergoing incarceration at Vellore Central Prison in another murder case. Further, the second accused 'Shambhava' Senthil alias Senthilkumaran and eighteenth accused 'Mottai' Krishnan alias Krishnakumar, both advocates by profession, were declared absconding. On learning that the second accused could have escaped either to France or the United Kingdom, the police had taken steps to extradite him by issuing Red Corner Notices. They also split the case against the two absconding accused and informed the trial court that seventh accused Thiruvengadam had died during investigation. Stating steps were taken to conduct trial against the rest of the 27 accused who were still under judicial custody and had not been granted bail so far, the police said, the investigation was conducted in a professional manner and that the accused had also been detained under the Goondas Act. The court was further told five country-made bombs, one country made pistol, four 9mm bullets, 13 knives, one axe, eight two-wheelers, four four-wheelers, 27 mobile phones, a Zomato dress and a bag and cash amounting to ₹63.13 lakh were seized from the arrested accused.
Kuwait Times
6 days ago
- Science
- Kuwait Times
KISR study identifies fish kill-causing microalgae in Kuwait for first time
KUWAIT: The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) said on Thursday it has, for the first time, identified toxic microalgae species responsible for red tide events and mass fish deaths in Kuwaiti waters. The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Botanica Marina, settle a long-standing scientific debate by confirming the presence of three harmful species: Karenia papilionacea, Karenia selliformis, and Karlodinium ballantinum, lead author Dr. Manal Al-Kandari told state news agency KUNA. Al-Kandari said the study conclusively confirmed the existence of K. selliformis, which caused a major fish kill in Kuwait in 1999, and K. papilionacea, both of which had been debated in earlier research. She noted that K. ballantinum was recorded for the first time not only in Kuwait but in the entire Arabian Gulf region. Describing the discovery as a 'strategic scientific achievement,' Al-Kandari said the findings will support the development of early warning systems to mitigate future outbreaks, safeguard marine biodiversity, and strengthen food security. The study was conducted in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and led to the creation of a preserved reference collection of living microalgae strains—a resource she said will benefit future national and regional marine research. Al-Kandari also acknowledged the continued support of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), calling for further investment in marine environmental studies.—KUNA
Refinery29
18-07-2025
- Business
- Refinery29
A Week In Providence, RI On A $120,000 Household Income
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a program manager who has a $120,000 household income and who spends some of her money this week on a massive fern and a tiny cactus. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Program manager Industry: Non-profit Age: 37 Location: Providence, RI Salary: $55,000 Household Income/Financial Setup: $120,000. I work part-time, on average around 25 hours a week. I moved into this role a few years ago thinking the part-time life wouldn't last, but I'm still here! I feel incredibly lucky to have a job that gives me so much free time and flexibility but still pays a salary I can live on. My partner K. is a nurse making around $65,000. She and I maintain separate finances but split a lot of costs including rent and utilities, pet expenses, and shared discretionary purchases. We have a shared credit card for these expenses that we split 50/50 each month. A couple years ago, she switched careers and carries some student loan debt from that. Assets: Checking account: $23,000 (recently pulled most of this out of a CD and haven't gotten around to putting it elsewhere. However, it's not as bad as it sounds: My checking account earns interest similar to a HYSA); HYSA: $12,500; IRA: $45,000; Roth IRA: $71,000; mutual fund: $31,500. Debt: $0 Paycheck Amount (biweekly): $1,675 Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: $1,140 rent for a one-bedroom, heat included. My partner K. and I split this 50/50. The apartment itself is dated and small, but in a good location and this is a great price. We've been here for seven years with only small yearly increases and are paying under market rent. I always hold my breath when the lease renewal paperwork arrives. (Our last apartment was turned into an Airbnb with a month's notice so I may be carrying some residual anxiety!) Loan Payments: $0 Electricity: I cover this, it's between $50-$80, depending on usage. Internet: K. covers this this; it's $60. Phone: $20 Retirement Contribution: I max my IRA or Roth IRA each year. I don't currently have access to a 401(k). Car Insurance: $208, split with K. Health Insurance: $275. I get health insurance via the State Exchange; this cost went down a bit when I renewed so I think I'm probably getting a small subsidy now which I may owe back at tax time. I don't have dental insurance, I pay for cleanings out of pocket and hope I don't need a root canal. Rental Insurance: $12 Pet Insurance: $21, split with K. Climbing Gym Membership: $89 Spotify: $12.83 Netflix: $19.25 Donations: Around $100: $22 to a local immigrant rights/mutual aid group, and then donations of $5-$10 to a handful of local journalists and podcasters. I also budget $50 to give each month as I feel moved. Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? It was generally expected that I go to college. I applied to a few different colleges and ended up going to a small liberal arts school because it was the cheapest option after aid and scholarships were applied, even cheaper than the state school. I used a combination of need-based aid, scholarships, loans, and part-time work to pay for tuition and living expenses. My parents contributed around $5,000 and kept me on their health insurance. They also gifted me an old car of theirs. I graduated with a very manageable loan amount, around $14,000, which I mostly paid off with two AmeriCorps education awards. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances? My parents are both very debt-averse and savings-oriented and they instilled that in me and my brother. They took us to open our first bank accounts and encouraged us to save birthday money or any money we earned. They also taught us to be pretty thrifty and live well on less, which I think is an underrated financial skill. I don't really remember them talking to me about investing or retirement, but we chat about that sometimes now. My dad is a Nervous Nelly about the stock market and is prone to making poor market-timing decisions with his retirement account, so he has been a bit of a cautionary example. What was your first job and why did you get it? I helped out on my family's strawberry farm starting when I was maybe 10 or 11 and my parents paid me for it. This was... Semi-voluntary. It was expected that I would help, but I had a fair amount of say over how much I worked and was paid in accordance. When I was 15 or 16 I started my first actual job, working at a local after-school program for younger kids. It paid $6.15 an hour. I liked having more spending money and it was also an opportunity to hang out with friends. Did you worry about money growing up? I didn't worry that much about money but I was certainly aware of it. I grew up in a predominantly working-class area and I felt well-off compared to many of my friends because we were very financially stable, but money was not exactly abundant. When I was very young both of my parents had unsteady income that came from selling crafts, small-scale farming and odd jobs. Though their incomes were low, our lifestyle was more self-sufficient than average: we lived in a rural area and grew or hunted a lot of our food, and my dad built our house. We always had food, medical care, and housing (though not always bourgeois amenities like running water or flooring. The house was built *while* we lived in it, and before the house was ready we lived in a tent and a pop-up camper on the build site.) We also had some generational wealth that smoothed the way: My mom inherited some money around the time that I was born, and my paternal grandparents had a comfortable retirement and would help us out occasionally. When I was older, my mom started working an office job and we had more of the trappings of a middle-class life, like summer road trips to see the national parks and money to pay for extracurricular activities. My parents' marriage was always strained (they eventually divorced), and as I got older I understood how much money was a factor in that. Do you worry about money now? I don't worry about money in a day-to-day sense. I do budget pretty carefully, but I'm more financially comfortable than I've ever been. If the car needs a repair, it's not a big deal. If I want to go on a trip, I go. That said, like most people I have an anxious orientation to money that leads me to dedicate a fair amount of brain space to worrying about things like layoffs and recessions and lease non-renewals. In particular, I worry that I missed the boat on buying a home here in Providence. Real estate values have skyrocketed since COVID-19. Even if I were working full time, it would be tough to make the math work on buying a house. If I could get a do-over, I would have figured out how to buy in my early 30s, but at the time I didn't feel a pressing desire to own a house and I didn't know that a window of opportunity was closing. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? When I was in college, my parents contributed to tuition and covered a few bills for me (health insurance, car insurance). I used money from working part-time for any living expenses. By the time I graduated and started working full time in my early 20s, I was pretty independent from them but we still share expenses like streaming services from time to time. If I needed them as a safety net, I suspect they'd be able to lend me a bit of money, and in the worst-case scenario they both own homes outright and have space for me to move back in with them. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. Yes, I received around $20,000 in EE-bonds as an inheritance from my paternal grandparents. My partner K. also received around $10,000 in a life insurance payout when her father died about a decade ago. Though I don't count on it, I may get a modest inheritance from one or both of my parents eventually. K. is very unlikely to get anything passed down to her. Day One: Monday 7:45 a.m. — Up a little late and make coffee. My partner K. doesn't work on Mondays; since my schedule is fairly flexible, sometimes I take the day off as well so that we can take a long weekend camping trip or go to the beach. Today, though, she has a lot of other obligations so I'm planning to work. While I drink my coffee, I play Which Year, a daily game where you guess the year of archival photos. I send my score to my mom and brother; we have a friendly rivalry going on. 9 a.m. — K. and I take the dog for a walk together. We have a very sweet, very anxious small dog that we rescued a few years ago. She LOVES walks. Usually these morning walks are my job; if the weather is decent we'll walk for at least a half-hour. It's a nice start to the day. 9:45 a.m. — I eat a bowl of cottage cheese and blueberries while I answer a few emails and get myself organized for the day. I generally work from home, but I have in-person meetings on a regular basis. 11 a.m. — K. has a few Zoom meetings and virtual appointments today, so I decide to work in a coffee shop. Two people working from home in a one-bedroom apartment is a recipe for frustration, as we learned during COVID-19. I walk to a coffeeshop nearby, snag a table and order a large iced chai and leave a tip. I spend a few hours drafting a grant application. $8.19 2:30 p.m. — Head home and work on the grant application financial documentation (I actually love working on budgets). As a late lunch, I eat leftovers from a cookbook club that we attended last night. The cookbook was Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly. I made a bisteeya-inspired chicken pie and K. made a tahdig. Both were good, as were all of the other dishes that people brought. 5:45 p.m. — Wrap up work and meet up with my running group for an easy run through the neighborhood. It's a small crew today and we only go a few miles. 6:30 p.m. — Back home and take a quick shower. K. is on a Zoom meeting, so I (quietly, did I mention our apartment is small?) make dinner. I make a chaat-spiced skillet fry-up with potatoes, roasted chickpeas, and green peas. I top it with some leftover tamarind chutney, onions, a cumin yogurt sauce, and fresh mint and cilantro. After several failures, I'm finally meeting some success with growing an herb garden on my fire escape. 7 p.m. — K. heads out to get a drink with work friends and I watch La Casa de las Flores on Netflix (Spanish practice, though I get lazy midway through and turn on the subtitles). Daily Total: $8.19 Day Two: Tuesday 6:30 a.m. — K. is working today, which means that everyone is up earlier. She has already made coffee when I get out of bed (this is generally her job). 7:30 a.m. — I take the dog for a long walk and swing by my community garden plot, where I pick some rhubarb and a big bunch of mint. The dog spots a rabbit, very exciting stuff. 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast is cottage cheese and frozen blueberries. I catch up on a few things for an organization that I'm on the board for, and then do a few small admin tasks and email for work. 10:30 a.m. — Head to a follow-up appointment for LASIK, which I got around a month ago. All of the appointments were included in the cost, which was $4,100. They say my eyes look good and my vision is 20/20, which is excellent news after spending the last 25 years of my life in glasses. The procedure wasn't cheap, but contacts and glasses aren't either. So far I wouldn't say that it's changed my life, but it was really great not dealing with glasses and contacts when we went camping a few weeks ago. 11 a.m. — Back home and work for a few hours. I'm a little hungry but don't feel like making anything, so I eat an apple and a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter. 1:30 p.m. — The dog has a vet appointment. This is our third attempt at taking a blood sample, she freaks out every time. We have been medicating her in increasingly large amounts. Putting her harness on, I have my doubts that we've medicated her enough, she seems quite alert and happy to go for a walk. Unfortunately I am correct: after around 15 minutes of attempts, the vet tech throws in the towel. We talk about other med options and they tell me the vet will follow up. Today's appointment doesn't cost me anything since it was a failure. How thrifty. 2 p.m. — Back home, still hungry. Eat a packet of instant ramen with an egg. The egg makes it healthy. I also start steeping a big pot of iced Moroccan mint tea with the mint from the garden. Then back to work for a bit. 4 p.m. — I remember that I need to make a boarding appointment for the dog later on in the summer. K. and I signed up to volunteer at the Newport Folk Fest. I haven't been in years because it's hard to get tickets. As volunteers, we'll get in free but staying nearby in Newport would be crazy expensive. With the hour-long drive each day, we'll be gone a lot and it feels best to board the pup. For 48 hours it will be $130, but we won't pay until we pick her up. 4:30 p.m. — Take the dog on a quick walk and then head to the climbing gym for a bouldering session. I don't climb for too long but I tackle my least favorite style: overhangs. 7:30 p.m. — Arrive back home and K. is making some sort of Greek potato pie with leftover phyllo dough and fresh herbs from the windowsill herb garden. I help out a little and then take a shower while the pie is in the oven. It's pretty good, but then again... iIt's potato and phyllo. How could it be bad? 8:45 p.m. — We put on an episode of Killing Eve and tackle folding clothes. The volume of clean, unfolded clothing in our bedroom corner feels obscene. It could clothe a whole Medieval village. Then, bedtime. It's chilly tonight, I turn on my mattress pad heater (a purchase that has greatly increased my quality of life) and snuggle in. Daily Total: $0 Day Three: Wednesday 7:30 a.m. — Tired and stiff this morning. Probably the climbing yesterday. Get up, coffee, take the dog on a walk. 9:15 a.m. — I am planning on doing some yoga and starting work a little late but then I realize I have a 9:30 a.m. meeting. Darn. I throw the leftover potato pie in the oven for breakfast and log on. 11 a.m. — Meeting is wrapped up and I'm still feeling hungry, so I make a bowl of oatmeal. It's a chilly day and oatmeal with cranberries, apples, and brown sugar feels like a treat. After, I change into semi-professional clothing and bike a few miles downtown for a meeting. I've been trying to bike to most of my downtown meetings now that the weather has improved — it's fun and generally a bit faster because I don't need to find parking. 12:25 p.m. — My meeting has wrapped up and I have a little time to kill, so I duck into the Japanese market where I buy a shrimp tempura onigiri, salmon sashimi, frozen udon noodles, and a small chocolate bar. $24.70 1:50 p.m. — I bike over to a community garden. I'm meeting someone here to show me a space that I'm planning to start gardening in. They're trying to get it started up again after a few years of neglect. It is a bit far from my apartment and I already have a plot at a different garden that I tend to with a group, so here I'm planning to just do flowers and a few low-maintenance veggies. I eat the onigiri and chocolate bar while I wait. The garden space is definitely rough, there are lots of old pallets that I'll need to clear out, but I enjoy tackling messy spaces, so it's up my alley. 2:15 p.m. — Back home again. Tell the dog that I love her and that she's beautiful and perfect. Make a big cup of chai; it's deceptively chilly out today and I need something warming. Do a little work to follow up from my meetings and then log off around 3:30 p.m. 4 p.m. — Walk the dog. I spot a forest green fabric basket on the curb and snag it. I really appreciate the robust curbside redistribution system that our neighborhood has. I don't bother taking anything to the thrift store anymore. 5 p.m. — Need to swing by the organization that I volunteer for to drop some items off, so I combine that with a run. Stop by and chat with other volunteers, and then go to a nearby riverside bike path that is just a little too far for me to regularly incorporate into my runs. 6:30 p.m. — Get home and shower while K. starts making poke bowls with the salmon sashimi. We top them with salmon, mango, sriracha mayo, furikake, and cucumber. After, we settle in for an episode of Killing Eve, then early bed. Daily Total: $24.70 Day Four: Thursday 7:15 a.m. — Wake up to torrential rain. Boo. The apartment is freezing; wish we owned a space heater. Make coffee and play Which Year, hold off on walking the dog in the hopes that the rain will let up. 8:15 a.m. — Do a short yoga session before hopping on a 9 a.m. Zoom meeting. The meeting lasts much longer than I expected and I wish that I'd eaten breakfast before. 10:30 a.m. — Finally free! I bite the bullet and take the dog out, then make a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast which I eat in front of my computer. 12:15 p.m. — I head to my ceramics studio for a session. I work on glazing a few plates and then handbuild a footed jewelry tray (strongly influenced by one I saw on Etsy). I buy three-hour blocks of studio access in packages of ten so I don't need to pay anything today. Generally they are $30 each unless I get them on sale, and then I spend another couple hundred a year on clay, glazes, and firing fees. On the plus side, I save lots of money on gifts! Everyone wants more mugs, right? 3 p.m. — Back home just in time for another Zoom meeting. After, I wrap up a few follow up items and then log off. 4:30 p.m. — Still cold, still rainy. I take a nap in bed with my heated mattress pad, which is a delight. After, I decide to make rhubarb bars. They sound like a good treat today and running the oven will warm the apartment up. 5 p.m. — The rain has finally cleared, so I take the dog on a walk. I call my mom to coordinate with her about summer plans. She's going to be coming out to New England for a few weeks with my cousin and her kids. They have found an affordable vacation rental for their Rhode Island stay; I tell her it's not in the trendiest location but should be convenient to the beach and to me. I also tell my cousin she can use my car for two weeks. Mistake? Maybe! But it will force me to bike more. 7 p.m. — K. usually works a 12-hour shift on Thursdays, but she comes home early today and we make dinner together: Japanese-style potato and carrot curry with big chewy udon noodles. After, spend some time reading before bed. I'm finally reading Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Daily Total: $0 Day Five: Friday 7:30 a.m. — A little warmer today. Coffee and Which Year, then take the dog on a walk (extra long this morning since we didn't get out much yesterday). 9 a.m. — I do a few small things for my job, but I'm not planning on working much today since I'm close to hitting 25 hours for the week. To be honest, work has felt slow recently; there's a few big federal grants that are in limbo under the current administration and so we don't have as many projects going as usual. It's a weird time. 10:30 a.m. — Wrap up work, eat some blueberries and cottage cheese for breakfast. Put on an old episode of You're Wrong About and spend half an hour cleaning the apartment in the company of my para-social friendships with Sarah and Michael. 12 p.m. — Eat a can of Amy's lentil soup for lunch (underwhelming) then head out to run some errands. Stop at the bank and withdraw $80 in quarters for laundry (we have coin op machines in the basement), then swing by a carwash to vacuum out my car. Love having a clean car. $2 12:45 p.m. — Stop by one of my favorite houseplant stores. It's this oasis in a converted mill building. I really love these old mill buildings. You go inside and it's this maze of repurposed spaces hosting retail, artist studios, dance studios, and community organizations. One of them nearby has a pinball museum and an indoor skatepark! It's so important for a city to have affordable commercial space for these kinds of fun, oddball ventures, and I worry that we're starting to lose that here. Anyway, off my soapbox. I buy a massive fern for a plant propagation workshop I'm teaching tomorrow, and a tiny cactus. I could probably get the fern reimbursed if I asked but I don't really mind donating it. $49.20 3 p.m. — Back home and spend some time prepping for the plant propagation workshop. End up going down a plant-care rabbit hole that culminates in me chopping my huge monstera into a bunch of smaller pieces. Someone on YouTube assures me that once I replant them I'll have a healthier, happier plant and I'm trusting the process. 6 p.m. — I'm just finishing sweeping up when K. gets home. She's wiped from the week and doesn't really feel like going anywhere, so we decide to stay in. She makes a Persian chicken and rice dish for dinner (this is one of her specialties, it's very delicious) and I clean up. Then we watch a few episodes of Killing Eve. Not sure I'm as into the second season. Daily Total: $51.20 Day Six: Saturday 9 a.m. — Sleep in a little, then up to make coffee and walk the dog. 11 a.m. — Head out to a volunteer shift at the tool library. It's busy today, this time of year is always full of people working on their gardens and house projects and starting new hobbies. Today we have a bunch of people just hanging out as well. It's started to feel like a third space, which is fun. 2 p.m. — It's time for the plant propagation workshop I'm leading. We have 12 people attend, which is a larger group than I was anticipating and flusters me a little, since I had planned for it to be very hands-on. Hopefully everyone enjoys it and learns something. Dividing up the giant fern seems to be the highlight. 3 p.m. — The plant propagation workshop is followed by a plant swap. I end up taking home an unnecessary number of seedlings and plant cuttings (pilea, jade, pothos, stonecrop, elderberry, and something called oregano brujo, which is used medicinally in Puerto Rico, according to the woman who brings it). Also, a very sad cactus arrangement that I hope I can revive. 5:30 p.m. — Home from the plant swap and K. is heading out for a karaoke night. Karaoke is not one of my favorite activities so I will not be joining her. Instead, I go on a quick run with the dog and order takeout from my go-to Cambodian place. I get crispy wings, nime chow, and crab rangoon. Then I settle in with my takeout and watch the first half of Sirens. $32.86 Daily Total: $32.86 Day Seven: Sunday 9 a.m. — Sleep in, coffee. Score in the second percentile on Which Year, very exciting. 10:30 a.m. — Walk the dog and then spend a bit of time catching up on financial stuff. I ask K. to venmo me half of our shared credit card balance and catch up on categorizing transactions in my budget. I also catch up on my bank account bonus churning. I'm not as into this as some people, I consider it a small side hustle. I have a spreadsheet that tracks all of my in-process bank account and credit card sign up bonuses. I'm currently trying to trigger a checking account bonus from Chase and need a direct deposit. I read reports that an eBay deposit will do it, so I list K.'s old Xbox for sale. 11 a.m. — K. is working on sewing projects this morning so I ask her to mend a few items of my clothing with small tears or missing buttons. We also debate whether she is capable of altering a too-large linen jumpsuit I got at a recent clothing swap. She says she'll make an attempt. 12 p.m. — Try to buy a kitchen cart off of Facebook Marketplace but lose out to another buyer. The search continues. 1 p.m. — Head out for a grocery shopping run. We're going to a Memorial Day barbeque later on, so first I stop by the liquor store to buy wine and brandy for sangria (split with K.; my share is $14.37), and then to the grocery store for the fruit and normal grocery haul. Rhode Island doesn't sell any alcohol in grocery stores, which is highly inconvenient. I buy peaches and strawberries for the sangria, potatoes, onions, apples, mangos, bell peppers, ginger, a few tubs each of cottage cheese and yogurt, a few bags of frozen blueberries, milk, half and half, butter, dried cranberries, couscous, chicken, chickpeas and kidney beans, and eggs. I feel like it's a lot of stuff but the total is only $92 (split with K, my share $46.13). $60.50 2 p.m. — Throw together the sangria, bid the dog farewell, and head over to the cookout. Our friends live in the neighborhood, so we can walk. The food spread is delicious, and they have the most amazing garden, I am very jealous. My least favorite thing about our place is the lack of outdoor space. 7 p.m. — Home to feed and walk the dog, then back out again for a parking lot show at a local dive bar. They do these free parking lot punk and metal shows in the summer that last all day; this is the first one of the season. This isn't normally my scene but it's a fun summer tradition. I always appreciate how diverse in age the crowd is: there's folks age 7 to 70 bopping around and catching up. We get a beer ($7.35 each with tip) and chat with some acquaintances in between sets. I am a little hungry so we each get a hot dog from a food vendor ($5 each, but K. pays because I can't get Venmo to work). $7.35 9:30 — We're tired and a little cold, so we head home. I'm still complaining that I missed snagging the last cupcake at the cookout this afternoon, so K. makes a quick batch of brownies to placate me. Then bedtime. Daily Total: $67.85 The Breakdown Conclusion 'This ended up being a slightly lower-spend week than normal. It was a little quieter than usual in general, and I did a number of free things, the show, the plant swap, the barbecue. And not having to pay the vet bill certainly helped! I've been trying to cut down on my consumer spending on 'stuff', so it was gratifying to see that I didn't spend much in that area. I think in general I do wonder if I can really afford to keep working in this job as the cost of living goes up. I don't save as much as I did working full time, obviously! 'Also, a quick update: The week after I submitted this, I found out that our landlord is selling all of his properties, including our building, to an investor. So that's probably the end of our cheap rent. I feel like I jinxed myself! We're still waiting to find out the upshot of this for us, but if we do need to move, our rent will likely double in the fall.'
The Star
05-07-2025
- The Star
Vietnamese sex trafficking probe uncovers murder of young woman in remote forest
HAI PHONG, (Vietnam): A police investigation into an illegal sex trafficking ring has led to the discovery of a brutal murder, in which a young woman was beaten to death and her body dumped in a remote forest in northern Vietnam. The police on Friday (July 4) announced that they had completed their case file and handed it over to prosecutors, recommending charges against four suspects. The charges include murder, procuring prostitution, harbouring a criminal, and purchasing sex with a minor. The main suspect, Nguyen Thi Thuy, 43, is accused of both murder and running a prostitution operation. Her husband, Ta Dinh Phuc, 38, faces charges for procuring prostitution. Two others - H Ko Nie, also known as My, 30, and Ngo Xuan Canh, 48 - are accused of harbouring a criminal and purchasing sex with a person under 18, respectively. The case came to light during a broader investigation into a prostitution network allegedly run by Thuy and Phuc. But the investigation took a darker turn when Thuy's 12-year-old son and a 14-year-old girl named Linh came forward, revealing that Thuy had been involved in a murder committed in mid-2024. Under the direction of Bui Quang Binh, the then–Hai Duong's Police Chief (now Hai Phong's Police Chief), a special task force was assembled to investigate. The team faced major obstacles: witnesses had used fake names, many had left the area, and there was no clear information about the victim's identity. It wasn't until investigators interviewed Linh, My, and another witness - a 15-year-old girl from Thanh Hóa - that they located the site where the body had been dumped: a remote forest area in Ban Ngo Commune, Xin Man District, now part of Tuyen Quang Province. However, the victim's identity was still unknown. The only clues were that her name might be Ngoc and that she was from Phu Tho Province. Working with local authorities and comparing old photographs with residency records, police eventually identified her as N.T.K.K., a 30-year-old woman from Phu Tho. According to the investigation, Thuy was awaiting the enforcement of several previous criminal sentences when she opened an eatery called Minh Ngoc in Hai Duong (now part of Hai Phong City). Through online platforms, she recruited young women and girls, forced them into sex work, and housed them in a rented property on Kim Son Street. In April 2024, two girls - K. (the victim) and another teen - were brought in. Because K. was small and thin, Thuy assigned her to work at the restaurant instead of serving clients. Later, two other girls, including Linh and My, joined the operation. K. and another one were responsible for housekeeping duties at the restaurant and dormitory. Over time, K. became a frequent target of Thuy's violence. On the night of July 16, 2024, Thuy accused K. of stealing VNĐ11.5 million (about US$450) from her and My. She allegedly forced K. to undress, beat her with a metal pipe, then wrapped her in a towel and brought her to the restaurant to continue the assault. K. was left naked in the kitchen overnight. The next morning, Thuy reportedly ordered Linh to slap her and pour cleaning fluid over her body. Later, in a final act of brutality, Thuy cut off part of K.'s pinky finger with a knife in an attempt to force a confession. That night, K. died from her injuries. Around midnight, Thuy allegedly forced My, Linh, and another girl named L. to help dispose of the body, threatening to expose their involvement in prostitution if they refused. She packed the body and blood-stained clothes into a car and initially drove toward Quang Ninh. But upon seeing surveillance cameras along the route, she turned back. Early the next morning, the group took the Hanoi–Hai Phong expressway, searching for a more secluded location. Linh searched online and suggested Bac Ha District in Lao Cai Province, but they couldn't find a suitable spot. Eventually, they reached Xin Man District. Near the People's Committee office of Ban Ngo Commune, they dumped the body in a deep pit and began driving home. On the way back, their car broke down in Nam Dan Commune. Based on the investigation, authorities determined that Linh and L., who were both only 14 years old at the time, are not criminally liable under Vietnam's law for helping conceal the crime. The case is now with the People's Procuracy, pending prosecution. - Vietnam News/ANN
Refinery29
23-06-2025
- Business
- Refinery29
A Week As A Student In Los Angeles
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a law student who is not currently earning a salary and who spends some of her money this week on a mint stracciatella gelato. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Law student Age: 28 Location: Los Angeles Salary: Currently $0, but with an expected income of ~$40,000 from a summer job. Joint Income & Financial Setup: I live with my boyfriend, K., and we split expected expenses like rent, utilities, and pet costs equally. We do cover things for one another occasionally, him more often than me, since I don't have a steady income. Assets: Investment accounts: $211,400; Roth IRA: $36,800; 401(k): $64;000; checking: $6,300; HYSA/savings: $9,750; crypto: $4,000; HSA: $2,600, car: ~$38,000 (this is how much I've paid toward it, but the value is actually less since it's depreciated since I bought it). Debt: Car loan: $4,400; student loans: ~$40,000. Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: $1,150 (split rent with my boyfriend, K.). Loan Payments: $405.62 (car loan). Car Insurance: $126 Apple iCloud: $2.99 Spotify: $5.99 Internet: $20 Water/Power: ~$60 Gas: ~$18 Capital One Member Fee: $95 (annually). Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Yes! I grew up in a town where going to college after high school was the path for the overwhelming majority. I got an undergraduate degree and am currently in law school after working for four-ish years after college. My parents paid for my undergrad experience, including both tuition and living expenses, which I am very grateful for. I'm paying for law school myself with a combination of scholarships, savings, and loans. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? Growing up, I saw my parents fight about their different views on spending and saving, so I definitely understood that stress surrounds money for a lot of adults. However, I was never aware of any financial strain growing up, as I did club sports, traveled, etc. I definitely know my upbringing was privileged. Beyond the importance of saving, I didn't learn much from my parents — I gained most of my financial knowledge in early adulthood from coworkers and my own research online. What was your first job and why did you get it? I was a (very bad, probably) math tutor in high school, which I think I did because a friend offered me the job when she was no longer able to do it. My first official job was on campus in college at an organization that sends students into the community to tutor kids. Did you worry about money growing up? Other than seeing my parents argue about it, no. Do you worry about money now? Not too much since I think I'm in a pretty good situation financially, but eventually buying a house in LA and raising children is definitely something I think about often now that I'm 28. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? At 26, when I moved out of my parents' house to attend law school. My family or my boyfriend K. would be my financial safety net if something happened. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. As mentioned earlier, my parents paid for my college experience and let me live at their house rent-free for about four years after I graduated. They also bought me a used car in college that I sold for $10,000, which went toward the down payment on my current car. Day One: Wednesday 8:30 a.m. — No class today! My boyfriend, K., already fed the cats, so I get out of bed, write my to-dos, and make avocado and cottage cheese toast with an egg on the side. I'm a recent cottage cheese convert. I follow breakfast with an Earl Grey matcha, one of my favorite daily rituals. 9:35 a.m. — Clean up emails and do 'computer stuff' like filling out a survey from my law school. Most of the cleaning up is just deleting emails, so it only takes 15 minutes. 12 p.m. — I finish listing a bunch of old and unwanted clothes on Depop and Poshmark. It always takes me forever, since I model each item and try to be ultra-descriptive to avoid unhappy buyers, so I've been putting it off. Secondhand platforms are one of my side hustles during the school year. I don't make that much, but it's a nice way to counteract my spending and keep the clutter at bay (especially in light of my small shared closet and thrifting addiction). 12:42 p.m. — Lunch is a gorgeous bowl of soup made by K.'s mom and zucchini made by me. His mom gives us tupperwares full of homemade food pretty often, and I'm so grateful for her. 3 p.m. — Video call with a prospective law student! She was so sweet and had great questions. As a first-generation law student, I love talking about my experience and making honest information about the field more accessible. I connect her with a few law friends as well. 4 p.m. — K. recently took my body lotion to the kitchen sink to act as hand cream, so I head to Marshall's in search of actual hand cream (and cat treats). I find just what I need and can't resist getting some cat toys, too. Marshall's is my favorite for when I need stuff but am not specific about what brands they are. When I get home, I promptly move the body lotion back to its rightful place in our medicine cabinet. $17.52 6 p.m. — I cave to my guiltiest pleasure and ask K. to pick up Wingstop on his way home: they have a good tender deal right now. Wingstop always makes me feel gross after, but the joy I feel eating it is unfortunately unparalleled. It's $17 for the two of us, but K pays. 6:40 p.m. — Two of the items I listed for sale today sold! I immediately pack them up. I made $10 on an Artizia shirt and $32 on a pair of Vuori leggings. 11 p.m. — After spending way too much time browsing wedding guest dresses (Club L London, Meshki, Revolve, and Selfie Leslie) and cycling between my usual rotation of TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram, I do my readings for school and get ready for bed. I'm very committed to doing my assigned readings because I prefer to 'study' by being prepared for class rather than cram new material during finals. Goodnight! Daily Total: $17.52 Day Two: Thursday 6:55 a.m. — Rise and shine. I get ready, make a to-go matcha, grab my lunch, and head out the door to campus. 12 p.m. — Two classes down. I have a lunch break before my next class, so I eat (short rib, japchae, and a Korean pancake) while I parse through a classmate's research paper. I have to provide comments on it in my next class, which I didn't realize I had to do until this morning… And it's 37 pages. 2 p.m. — In the middle of my last class and after surviving my own paper's critique, I remember an email I got from Wikipedia this morning asking for a donation. I appreciate that Wikipedia doesn't have ads or a paywall, so I donate a very law student-y amount ($10.40). I also make $24 selling an Artizia hoodie on Depop, so I make a mental note to pack that up when I get home. 4:30 p.m. — I get home and productively couch rot by running the laundry while I lay down. I get munchy around 7 p.m., but for some reason have no interest in eating a real meal, so I eat the weirdest combination for dinner: a leftover vegetable smoothie K. made, a Greek yogurt bowl, and instant ramen (yes, in this order). Not my best work, but the heart wants what it wants. 8 p.m. — K. comes home with a boba for me (my love for boba has not changed since my last diary). We watch an episode of Severance before going to bed around midnight. Daily Total: $10.40 Day Three: Friday 9 a.m. — I habitually wake up at 7 a.m. to feed the cats, but I go back to sleep until 9 a.m. since I don't have class today. Once I'm up, I eat the same breakfast as on Wednesday. 12:45 p.m. — Make it to the gym! I do lower body and some light cardio on the treadmill. I wasn't feeling the best mentally on the way here, but the endorphins help some. I charge my car on the way home and try to stop at a thrift store nearby but find it closed. I'll take that as fate! $8.99 4 p.m. — I eat a small bowl of short rib and rice, then do my full shower-hair-makeup routine in time for a dinner reservation with K. and our friends at 7 p.m. I'm finally starting to get better at blowing my hair out with my Shark. 11 p.m. — Dinner is amazing! We go to K.'s friend's restaurant, which I can best describe as Japanese-influenced fine dining. They always give us extra dishes and discount the bill, which is so kind and not expected. K. and one of his friends cover the bill for the table. 12 a.m. — We meet some more friends at a bar nearby in Chinatown. I agree to drive everyone home, so I don't get any drinks, but it's a great time nonetheless. After we leave the bar, I give my friends some cash to get themselves water and street dogs. $15 Daily Total: $23.99 Day Four: Saturday 11 a.m. — I once again get up at 7 a.m. to feed the cats, but promptly go back to sleep afterwards, since it was a late night. Brunch is rice and the rest of the soup from Wednesday. 3 p.m. — I binge some YouTube, chill, and nap for a majority of the afternoon. I typically feel pretty lazy after nights out, even if I don't drink. I think the sheer extroversion exhausts me. I do sell two more items (Aerie leggings and a random corset top) for $30, which I pack up to ship on Monday. 5 p.m. — I finally mobilize myself and get ready to visit my parents with K. I'm so grateful I chose to go to law school near my family; I see them at least once a week, and it's one of the best parts of each week. I bring shawarma for everyone and, despite my protests, my mom insists on venmoing me the $70 it cost. 7:30 p.m. — I take us out to a new gelato place nearby and finally get to treat everyone. A mint stracciatella gelato hates to see me coming. $33.88 Daily Total: $33.88 Day Five: Sunday 9 a.m. — Good morning! I pack up another item (Sanctuary linen pants, $14) and eat — you guessed it — an avocado and cottage cheese toast with an egg. This diary is making me realize I'm quite a creature of habit. 11 a.m. — I do one of my two readings for tomorrow's classes. I typically procrastinate my readings until nighttime, so this is an accomplishment for me. 12:50 p.m. — Meet up with my sister and mom to grab tempura for lunch. My mom pays. We get matcha and coffee drinks after, which I cover. We originally wanted to go thrifting today, but all the thrift stores are closed for Easter. The universe is really against me thrifting this week! $24 3:30 p.m. — I get home and pack another few items (Aritzia pants, $14; earrings, $4). This is a particularly good week for sales. I wonder if the tariffs are encouraging people to buy secondhand? Anyway, I fully intend to start my last reading before K. gets back from a day trip to Santa Barbara, but the consumerism demons summon me. I browse Mango and heavily contemplate buying the Anja glasses from Gigi Studios on Farfetch, but ultimately add the sunglasses to my summer wishlist when I see that shipping is $24. (Update: I ended up getting the sunnies at the start of my summer job. They were a bit of a treat, considering they were around $240 after shipping charges, and I really like them!) 6:30 p.m. — Okay, now I'm doing my reading. I finish by 7:45 p.m. (though not without distractions). 8:30 p.m. — K.'s back! We get ready for bed, then settle in to watch some YouTube on the couch. We get hungry when we see someone in a YouTube video eating a PB&J, so K. makes us mini grilled cheeses and PB&Js. They absolutely hit the spot. We're in bed by 11:15 p.m. Daily Total: $24 Day Six: Monday 6:45 a.m. — After a night of super weird dreams, I get up slightly earlier than usual to dedicate a bit more time to get ready since I have a school event tonight. Make it out the door, matcha and Depop packages in hand, with just enough time to get to class. 11 a.m. — I realize in my second class that I forgot about an Emi Jay sample sale I intended to check out at 9 a.m. By the time I notice, all the clips I might have wanted are sold out. I'm disappointed because they were selling clips that were actively on the Emi Jay site. Even at half off, $18 for one claw clip is crazy, but I've heard they really do hold — and I have fine hair, so I was eager to try them out. Oh well. 12:40 p.m. — Back at home after dropping my packages at the post office. I eat short rib, rice, and a Korean pancake again for lunch. I can't tell if it tastes old or my mind is playing tricks on me, since I know it's been in the fridge for a while. 5 p.m. — I end up doing nothing I'm supposed to do (two readings for class tomorrow) before it's time to leave for a pregame for the event tonight. I feel guilty for slacking on school stuff, but I rush over and a group of us collectively trek out to the event venue. 10 p.m. — The event ends up being a lot of fun! My friends and I are all hungry after, so we split off between Panda Express and McDonald's. I go for Panda, which is delicious until my stomach starts to feel uneasy. Evidently orange chicken and the Beatbox already swirling around my stomach is not a good combination. $11.63 11:15 p.m. — I get home and go straight to sleep after getting ready for bed. Daily Total: $11.63 Day Seven: Tuesday 6 a.m. — I get up extra early to do one of the readings I didn't get to yesterday. I choose to do this one instead of the other (that I also skipped yesterday) because the professor in this class cold calls. So much for always doing all my readings… 8:20 a.m. — Out the door and off to charge my car. I'm really paying the price for not using my time wisely yesterday. I charge just what I need and get to class five minutes late. $4.17 12 p.m. — Two classes down, and I'm starving! I didn't bring lunch from home today, so I grab a buffalo chicken wrap and Kettle Chips from the school store to eat during my break before my last class. It's finally warming up in LA and eating outside with my friends is lovely, albeit a little bit sweaty. $9.48 6:30 p.m. — Home and chilling for the inevitable future. I'm always burnt out after three-class days. I snack on watermelon, then have beef and radish soup, shredded rotisserie chicken, and rice for dinner. 9:30 p.m. — I finish Gone Girls on Netflix and promptly get up to make sure my doors are locked. I used to be obsessed with true crime until I realized it gave me anxiety and that it kind of sucks to make entertainment out of real-life victims, but alas, I still indulge once in a while. 10 p.m. — K. gets home and we're both super tired, so we're in bed by 11 p.m. Goodnight! The Breakdown Conclusion 'I definitely watch my spending when I'm in school and unemployed, but this still felt like an unusually inexpensive week for me — I think because I went grocery shopping the week before the diary and somehow avoided any online shopping. Plus, my mom paid for two of my meals out. Since starting law school and living off my savings (versus living at home rent-free while I was employed), my spending has definitely tightened up, but it's been a great financial exercise for me and has made me way better at resisting impulse purchases. I'm definitely looking forward to getting paid this summer though. My life has changed so much since my last diary; I'm glad I did this again!'
