Latest news with #Puls
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How will AmeriCorps cuts affect Wisconsin students? Some see cuts, shutdowns ahead
A few weeks ago, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay junior Jasmine Puls was at her AmeriCorps job at the Girl Scout Reaching Out program, preparing for a trip to a local elementary school, when she got an email marked 'URGENT.' "Out of nowhere, we just got an email that we were being shut down, and that they tried to appeal it but that it was non-appealable, and that there was nothing they could do," Puls said. "We were literally given no warning." Seven staff members lost their jobs 'within 10 minutes,' including Puls. They weren't alone: Statewide, about 430 AmeriCorps workers found themselves out of work after the federal Department of Government Efficiency made cuts to their programs. Reaching Out focused on connecting students in underserved communities — often due to financial or language barriers — with outdoor education and life skills, according to assistant program and inclusion director Brittany Pyatt. Many other AmeriCorps programs offered similar services, providing students in need with tutoring and engagement services. On April 29, Wisconsin joined a multistate lawsuit alleging the AmeriCorps cuts will 'inflict immediate and irreparable harms' to people nationwide. With many of those cuts made to programs interwoven with the education system in Wisconsin, and the state budget for next year not yet set, it's not clear what the future holds for these programs. Programs for students both inside and outside the classroom are facing an uncertain future. Here's a look at a couple Wisconsin programs that will be affected: Volunteer tutoring program Schools of Hope, organized through United Way of Dane County, has existed for decades. It provides one-on-one and small group reading tutors to elementary students in need, among other tutoring sessions and support. In annual surveys, staff in Madison-area schools said they've seen student attendance and literacy rates increase through the program's work. This academic year, over 1,000 students worked with over 175 tutors. The program relies on AmeriCorps workers in every step of the process: 'tutor coordinators' bring in volunteers, train them, match them with students and evaluate them, UWDC president Renee Moe said. Or at least they did, until they found out that AmeriCorps funding had been abruptly cut. "Not only do you disrupt a program for kids to build their confidence, but if someone shows up for you regularly and you have that disrupted, there's a sense of loss there," Moe said. Another Dane County program, Partners for After School Success, is in a similar situation. PASS provided academic and social-emotional support to students in low-income communities. Now, unless the federal decision on AmeriCorps cuts is reversed, the PASS program will be essentially shut down. 'Without the program, providing these services — which are so critical and already under-resourced — just became more difficult,' Ariana Vruwink said in an email. Vruwink is the communications coordinator for the Dane County Department of Human Services. 'PASS alumni often go on to careers in education, youth work, and community service; the loss of this program will have a negative impact on the human service workforce in Dane County for years to come.' Reaching Out, the Girl Scout program, is trying to prepare its schools for what will come next. AmeriCorps members led 70 programs in 56 locations in northwestern Wisconsin, said Brittany Pyatt, assistant program and inclusion director for the Girl Scouts of the Northwest Great Lakes. In the Green Bay School District alone, the program served nine elementary schools. Schools of Hope is able to finish out this year through support from volunteers and the host schools, but next year directors will have to rework the program. The program worked, Moe said, and effective programs don't usually see such sudden, dramatic cuts. "To have a program that's very efficient and very effective in delivering the results that it's intended to achieve, to have that completely go away," Moe said, "It's just really unsettling." Contact Green Bay education reporter Nadia Scharf at nscharf@ or on X at @nadiaascharf. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: How will AmeriCorps cuts affect Wisconsin students?
Russia Today
16-03-2025
- Russia Today
Nightclub fire kills nearly 60 (VIDEOS)
A fire and an ensuing stampede at a nightclub in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia have claimed the lives of at least 59 people, with 155 more wounded. Local media quoted Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski as saying the blaze was caused by pyrotechnics used at the venue during a concert. According to media reports, there were around 1,500 revelers inside 'Pulse' when the ceiling caught fire in the early hours of Sunday. 'The fire started around 2:30 AM [after] the Styrofoam on the ceiling caught fire from the fire crackers that were on stage,' Sakam Da Kazam media outlet wrote, citing a survivor. The man told reporters that this was followed by an explosion that caused the roof to cave in. 🔥 HOW DID THE TRAGEDY IN KOCANI OCCUR? Sparks from the fireworks touched the roof of the old building, triggering a fire. Panic quickly spread, causing a stampede that resulted in 51 deaths and over 150 injuries.#KocaniTragedy#BreakingNews#PrayForKocani#кочани👇👇👇 'After that, we all rushed to get out, we all ran towards one door, it was for both entry and exit,' he said. The single-story building previously served as a carpet warehouse, before being transformed into a nightclub several years ago, media reports claim. According to survivors, panic quickly set in as people ran for the single exit, resulting in a stampede. Najmanje 59 lica je poginulo, 35 je identifkovano, od kojih je 31 iz Kočana, 4 iz Štipa. Među poginulima je i policajac iz Probiš povređenih je snimak diskoteke "Puls" u Kočanima, u kojoj je izbio pož u saradnji sa @VidiVakaVideo i Гоце.мк Sakam Da Kazam reported that the victims were aged 14 to 25, with dozens of survivors hospitalized with crush injuries, as well as carbon monoxide poisoning and burns. Twenty people who are in critical condition will be transferred to neighboring Bulgaria, Türkiye, Greece, and Serbia for treatment, Health Minister Arben Taravari announced. Toshkovski told the media that an 'arrest warrant has been issued for four people,' without specifying their identities. He added that the authorities will review the nightclub's licensing and safety provisions. The North Macedonian government has declared seven days of mourning in the wake of the tragedy.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Korean troops temporarily withdraw from contact line in Kursk Oblast after losses, Sky News reports
North Korean soldiers temporarily withdrew from the contact line in Russia's Kursk Oblast after incurring heavy losses, Sky News reported on Jan. 27, citing a Ukrainian commander with a callsign "Puls" who is fighting in the area. North Korean troops were deployed to Kursk Oblast last fall to support Russian forces in countering a Ukrainian incursion launched in early August 2024. Ukrainian forces have continued fighting in the region, hoping to leverage their positions for potential negotiations. North Korean forces are taking respite from hostilities, presumably to treat the wounded, wait for reinforcements, and work on mistakes made during the fighting in this sector, according to Sky News. "Puls" assumed that this break will not last long and the North Korean military "will be back soon." The soldier also noted North Korean troops' high motivation and that they continued the offensive despite heavy losses. North Korean soldiers were unaware of the threats from drones and artillery and attacked on foot in large groups, "like in World War II," becoming an easy target, "Puls" added. There is poor coordination and a language barrier between North Korean and Russian troops barrier that has already led to North Korean soldiers targeting Russian positions, according to the Ukrainian military. Ukrainian forces take DNA samples from killed North Korean soldiers to confirm their participation in Russia's war in Ukraine. South Korean intelligence announced at the end of January that Pyongyang was planning to send more troops to Russia to participate in the war. Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, also said previously that Pyongyang is preparing reinforcements, mainly gun and rocket artillery units. The New York Times reported that according to an undisclosed U.S. official, fresh North Korean troops could arrive within two months. Read also: Russia claims to capture Velyka Novosilka, Ukraine admits partial retreat but says battles ongoing We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Koreans 'blow themselves up with grenades rather than risk capture', say Ukraine soldiers
North Korean troops appear to have temporarily pulled back from the frontline in Russia after suffering heavy losses, a Ukrainian special forces commander has told Sky News. The commander, who goes by the codename "Puls", said Kim Jong Un's men were likely either learning lessons from mistakes made during their first, bloody clashes with Ukrainian soldiers, tending to their wounded or waiting for reinforcements. "I think they'll be back soon," he said, speaking at a secret base in northeastern Ukraine. Interviews with several Ukrainian troops reveal remarkable details about how the North Koreans have been fighting since they arrived on the battlefield in the Russian region of Kursk last month. This includes: • An apparent initial lack of awareness about the threats from drones and artillery, with North Korean soldiers attacking on foot "like something out of World War Two" in groups of 20, 40 or even 60 men, making themselves easy targets • "Brainwashing" which means they keep pushing forward despite being under Ukrainian fire and with comrades being killed and wounded around them • A desire to remove evidence of their presence from the warzone, with North Koreans in white helmets spotted trying to recover the wounded and the dead • A refusal to be taken alive, with claims that North Koreans have been seen blowing themselves up with grenades rather than risk capture. Puls even claimed a North Korean has been heard shouting "For General Kim Jong Un" before killing himself • Poor coordination between North Korean and Russian forces because of the language barrier. One soldier claimed radio intercepts revealed North Koreans accidentally targeted Russian positions. He also said they would storm Ukrainian positions, suffering losses, but Russian troops would then fail to exploit the gains • Better kit than many Russians, including rifles and uniform, but a lack of heavy armour, with North Koreans only moving on foot and using golf buggies to transport ammunition. "They were all clean-shaven and perfectly groomed, like models," said Puls. "Every single one - no beards, unkempt hair, or bald heads… It was also hard to determine their age. They all looked between 25 and 35, maybe up to 40." North Korean troop deployment not officially confirmed Ukraine and its Western allies say Pyongyang has sent 11,000 troops to join Russia's war, focusing on bolstering infantry lines in the Kursk region where Ukrainian troops captured swathes of territory in a daring invasion last August. Neither Kim Jong-Un nor Vladimir Putin have officially confirmed the deployment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed last week that some 4,000 North Korean soldiers have already been killed or injured. Read more from Sky News:Civilians in Democratic Republic of Congo face frenzy of fearLukashenko set to extend 30-year presidential rule in Belarus Puls commands the 1st Combat Divers Battalion of Special Operations Forces. His elite commandos were tasked with capturing DNA samples and documents from a unit of about 25 North Korean soldiers who were killed in a drone and artillery barrage about a fortnight ago inside Kursk. Body camera footage from the mission has been shared with Sky News. Edited clips have also been posted on social media. Forensic samples taken Ukrainian soldiers can be seen carefully sticking cottonwool buds into the mouths of dead North Korean troops to take samples of saliva and place them in an evidence bag. They then remove the troops' helmets, cutting clumps of hair and bagging them as well. In addition, body armour is cut away so the Ukrainians can more easily access the documents and other items on each soldier, including military identity cards, dog tags, handwritten notes and photographs. 'North Koreans only had ammo and chocolate' One of Puls's men, who took part in the operation and goes by the codename "Trainer", said he was surprised that the North Koreans only had ammunition and chocolate as supplies to sustain them in the fight. "Not a single soldier had a water bottle," he said. "They rely on the idea that they will storm through, take positions, and then eat and survive off our supplies." Asked what personal belongings he found, Trainer said: "There were letters. Of course, there were notebooks, notes. There were hand-drawn maps… There were photos of children, mothers, letters they tried to send home." The military identity cards were Russian - a seemingly clumsy attempt to hide the true ethnicity of the soldiers. Trainer said some of the notes appeared to be of soldiers' experiences in battle. He said it seemed as though they were trying to learn from their exposure to modern warfare. "It's the experience they are accumulating for their country, for conflicts they might face in the future," he said. North Koreans 'more disciplined' Puls described how the North Koreans fought differently from the Russians. "They are far more disciplined, with exceptional morale and determination - completely brainwashed, really," he said. Puls said about a fortnight ago he noticed the North Koreans pulling back. "The Russians are standing, working everywhere along the frontline, but no Koreans," he said. "Either they're analysing their mistakes, or tending to their wounds, or maybe they're waiting for reinforcements. There's talk that Kim Jong-Un is sending more North Koreans here. That's the situation." He said intercepted Russian communications appeared to indicate they would be returning. "They're still present, training or waiting for reinforcements. Something is happening, they'll be back soon."
Sky News
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
North Koreans 'blow themselves up with grenades rather than risk capture', say Ukraine soldiers
North Korean troops appear to have temporarily pulled back from the frontline in Russia after suffering heavy losses, a Ukrainian special forces commander has told Sky News. The commander, who goes by the codename "Puls", said Kim Jong Un 's men were likely either learning lessons from mistakes made during their first, bloody clashes with Ukrainian soldiers, tending to their wounded or waiting for reinforcements. "I think they'll be back soon," he said, speaking at a secret base in northeastern Ukraine. Interviews with several Ukrainian troops reveal remarkable details about how the North Koreans have been fighting since they arrived on the battlefield in the Russian region of Kursk last month. This includes: • An apparent initial lack of awareness about the threats from drones and artillery, with North Korean soldiers attacking on foot "like something out of World War Two" in groups of 20, 40 or even 60 men, making themselves easy targets • "Brainwashing" which means they keep pushing forward despite being under Ukrainian fire and with comrades being killed and wounded around them • A desire to remove evidence of their presence from the warzone, with North Koreans in white helmets spotted trying to recover the wounded and the dead • A refusal to be taken alive, with claims that North Koreans have been seen blowing themselves up with grenades rather than risk capture. Puls even claimed a North Korean has been heard shouting "For General Kim Jong Un" before killing himself • Poor coordination between North Korean and Russian forces because of the language barrier. One soldier claimed radio intercepts revealed North Koreans accidentally targeted Russian positions. He also said they would storm Ukrainian positions, suffering losses, but Russian troops would then fail to exploit the gains • Better kit than many Russians, including rifles and uniform, but a lack of heavy armour, with North Koreans only moving on foot and using golf buggies to transport ammunition. "They were all clean-shaven and perfectly groomed, like models," said Puls. "Every single one - no beards, unkempt hair, or bald heads… It was also hard to determine their age. They all looked between 25 and 35, maybe up to 40." North Korean troop deployment not officially confirmed Ukraine and its Western allies say Pyongyang has sent 11,000 troops to join Russia's war, focusing on bolstering infantry lines in the Kursk region where Ukrainian troops captured swathes of territory in a daring invasion last August. Neither Kim Jong-Un nor Vladimir Putin have officially confirmed the deployment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed last week that some 4,000 North Korean soldiers have already been killed or injured. Puls commands the 1st Combat Divers Battalion of Special Operations Forces. His elite commandos were tasked with capturing DNA samples and documents from a unit of about 25 North Korean soldiers who were killed in a drone and artillery barrage about a fortnight ago inside Kursk. Body camera footage from the mission has been shared with Sky News. Edited clips have also been posted on social media. Forensic samples taken Ukrainian soldiers can be seen carefully sticking cottonwool buds into the mouths of dead North Korean troops to take samples of saliva and place them in an evidence bag. They then remove the troops' helmets, cutting clumps of hair and bagging them as well. In addition, body armour is cut away so the Ukrainians can more easily access the documents and other items on each soldier, including military identity cards, dog tags, handwritten notes and photographs. 'North Koreans only had ammo and chocolate' One of Puls's men, who took part in the operation and goes by the codename "Trainer", said he was surprised that the North Koreans only had ammunition and chocolate as supplies to sustain them in the fight. "Not a single soldier had a water bottle," he said. "They rely on the idea that they will storm through, take positions, and then eat and survive off our supplies." Asked what personal belongings he found, Trainer said: "There were letters. Of course, there were notebooks, notes. There were hand-drawn maps… There were photos of children, mothers, letters they tried to send home." The military identity cards were Russian - a seemingly clumsy attempt to hide the true ethnicity of the soldiers. Trainer said some of the notes appeared to be of soldiers' experiences in battle. He said it seemed as though they were trying to learn from their exposure to modern warfare. "It's the experience they are accumulating for their country, for conflicts they might face in the future," he said. North Koreans 'more disciplined' Puls described how the North Koreans fought differently from the Russians. "They are far more disciplined, with exceptional morale and determination - completely brainwashed, really," he said. Puls said about a fortnight ago he noticed the North Koreans pulling back. "The Russians are standing, working everywhere along the frontline, but no Koreans," he said. "Either they're analysing their mistakes, or tending to their wounds, or maybe they're waiting for reinforcements. There's talk that Kim Jong-Un is sending more North Koreans here. That's the situation." He said intercepted Russian communications appeared to indicate they would be returning.
