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Brace for Impact: Severe Storms and Temperature Plunge Set to Hit Chicago

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CHICAGO — Meteorologists at ABC7 Chicago are closely monitoring the potential for severe weather conditions expected to hit on Thursday.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Wednesday brought pleasant weather to the Chicago region, with temperatures rising into the 60s.

Overnight, there’s a chance for an isolated shower or thunderstorm, though most areas are anticipated to remain dry as temperatures fall into the 50s.

The forecast predicts that storms are likely to strike the Chicago area between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday.

These storms may reach severe levels, with the primary threats being large hail and strong winds.

The cold front is expected to drastically drop temperatures. Some locations could drop 20 to 30 degrees in one to two hours.

On Thursday, fans will pack Wrigley Field for the Cubs home opener against the Washington Nationals and first pitch is at 1:20 p.m.

The game could feature temperature starting in the 60s but then dropping into the low 40s by the last inning, meteorologist Larry Mowry said.

Temperatures will vary across the Chicago area, so meteorologist Jaisol Martinez highly suggests preparing with layers to keep warm.

Most of Cook County is under a Level 2 to 3 out of 5 for risk of severe weather.

There is small risk for a tornado well south of I-80.

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Doris Ogala Accuses Tonto Dikeh of Plotting a Spiritual Attack

  • Nollywood actress Doris Ogala accused Tonto Dikeh of involving a herbalist to harm her.
  • Doris expressed disbelief and anger over the alleged betrayal in her social media posts.
  • She clarified that her initial request to Tonto was for assistance in recovering money from Chris, not related to any romantic issues.

Nollywood star Doris Ogala has leveled serious accusations against fellow actress Tonto Dikeh, claiming that Dikeh sought the services of a renowned herbalist with the intent to cause her harm.

In a series of emotional social media posts, Doris expressed her shock and disappointment, describing the situation as a deep betrayal. She clarified that her initial communication with Tonto was merely a request for assistance in retrieving money from someone named Chris, and was not related to any romantic issues.

In one of her posts, Doris stated:

“Tonto has plans to harm me… why? Why resort to using a herbalist? People need to know the kind of person she is. Should I stay silent after discovering this? Everyone needs to be cautious. I supported her during her public scandal with Kpokpogiri when she had no one else. I stood by her, and this is how I am repaid.”

Doris further shared a voice recording, allegedly from Tonto, which she claims is evidence of Tonto consulting a woman she referred to as a herbalist to threaten her.

The actress described the situation as both shocking and painful, highlighting that she had stood by Tonto during her troubled time with her ex, Kpokpogiri, while others had distanced themselves.

She cautioned the public to remain vigilant and take notice of the seriousness of the claims.

Reports suggest that the conflict between Doris Ogala and Tonto Dikeh has been ongoing, with fans closely watching for any new developments.

See post below:

Fuel Costs Ignite a Ripple Effect Across Various Sectors in Australia

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In brief

  • Remote fuel prices have topped $4 per litre, driving pantry staples like coffee beyond $100 in parts of WA.
  • Advocacy groups demand an increase to the Remote Area Allowance — which has gone unrevised for 25 years.

In the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia, residents aren’t facing a fuel shortage, but they are grappling with soaring prices that are making it unaffordable for many.

The coastal town of Djarindjin, situated 170 kilometers north of Broome, reports that while fuel supplies remain steady, the price of diesel has surged to 284 cents per liter following a recent 20-cent increase. In nearby areas, prices have already exceeded the $3 mark.

As fuel costs escalate nationwide, some of Australia’s most isolated communities are feeling the pinch in distinct ways. The dual challenges of rising prices and growing concerns over supply are creating a unique set of difficulties for these regions.

For Nathan McIver, Chief Executive Officer of the Djarindjin Aboriginal Corporation (DAC), the real pressure is in how those costs ripple outward.

“The flow-on effect with diesel going up; it goes into freight. You’ve got 30 per cent fuel levy on top of that,” he said.

Across remote Western Australia, food travels thousands of kilometres from Perth, Adelaide and the east coast. Each increase in fuel compounds along that journey, with freight companies passing rising costs directly onto consumers.

“By the time you get your food into your town or into your little community, the cost of goods is much higher than what it would have been anywhere else in Australia,” McIver said.

The result for some communities is that basic pantry staples have become prohibitively expensive. Locals have reported that in some of WA’s inland desert areas, a 1kg container of instant coffee has skyrocketed beyond $100.

In Djarindjin, those pressures are partially absorbed by the community itself. The local supermarket — owned and operated by DAC as a social enterprise — is not designed to make a profit, but instead prioritises affordability for residents.

“Our supermarket; we already subsidise for the community,” McIver said. “Fresh produce is sold at comparable prices to … a town like Broome.”

But that buffer is limited. “We will do what we can to subsidise the fuel for our community until such time we can’t do it anymore,” he said.

A drone shot showing remote community of Djarindjin
Djarindjin is a coastal Aboriginal community in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, situated on traditional Bardi and Jawi lands. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan

In communities powered by diesel generators, those costs extend well beyond groceries. Rising fuel prices drive up electricity costs, leaving households to make difficult trade-offs.

“You end up having communities and people in the community making a decision between whether they have power in 40-degree heat or whether they have food,” McIver said.

“You don’t have power, you don’t have water because you need power for the water to work … and if you don’t have food, you’ve got no sustenance — everything’s connected.”

Allowance lag

Central Land Council (CLC) — the statutory authority representing Aboriginal rights and interests in the southern half of the Northern Territory — has warned that rising fuel costs are intensifying pressures that remote communities were already struggling to absorb.

In a statement released Monday, it said higher fuel prices are driving up the cost of essentials and “deepening cost of living pressures out bush”, with some communities already paying up to twice as much as those in cities.

Executive director of policy, Josie Douglas, told SBS News diesel prices have reached as high as $4 a litre in parts of the Northern Territory.

“This uncertainty and the increase at the fuel bowser will mean that rising fuel costs will wipe out some of the schemes against by pushing up the price of food and other essentials,” she said.

Those increases are eroding the impact of existing government support, she said, including the low-cost essentials subsidy scheme for remote stores.

“Without a meaningful increase in Centrelink income, there is no buffer against this inevitable surge in the cost of living,” Douglas said.

CLC is calling for an urgent increase to the Remote Area Allowance — a supplementary payment to assist income support recipients with the higher costs of living in remote areas of Australia. It has not been raised in more than 25 years and is not indexed to inflation.

In a statement to SBS News, a Department of Social Services spokesperson said: “The Australian Government understands the additional cost‑of‑living pressures faced by Australians living in remote and very remote locations. This includes challenges related to food security and increasing fuel prices.”

It added that: “The government continues to consider ways to support households in these regions.”

“Recipients of Remote Area Allowance have benefited from increases to their primary income support payment or other supplementary payments, the latest of which started on Friday.

“For example, since the government was elected, the typical rate of JobSeeker Payment for a single person without dependent children has increased by $166 a fortnight. It is an increase of 25.5 per cent in almost four years, providing over $4,300 in additional support each year.”

On the ground, McIver said pressures are most acutely felt in communities with limited economic activity, where many residents are already living on the poverty line.

“There’s a lot of remote communities in Australia that don’t have any economic development … a lot of welfare dependent communities,” he said.

“With the prices that are so high, you’ve got people already sitting on the poverty line that can’t afford those normal grocery items.”

Fixed supply chains

Beyond the mainland, fuel pricing is shaped by infrequent bulk deliveries rather than daily market movement.

On Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia’s Indian Ocean territories, fuel is shipped annually, creating a system where prices remain largely fixed between deliveries. The result is not volatility, but consistently high costs driven by freight, storage and global fuel prices at the time of shipment.

Fuel Watch Indian Ocean Territories data, published on 13 March shows petrol at $2.96 a litre and diesel at $3.02 a litre on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Similarly, petrol is $3.02 a litre and diesel $2.96 a litre on nearby Christmas Island — unchanged since 16 January.

That system is now under additional strain, however.

Zentner Shipping — the only regular freight service to the islands — introduced an emergency surcharge in March in response to global fuel price hikes linked to the Iran war. The impact is yet to be seen.

On Norfolk Island, in the South Pacific Ocean, fuel is similarly imported in bulk through contracted suppliers, with deliveries planned months in advance. Acting general manager of the regional council Nick Mostardo said fuel is sourced via international routes.

“It comes out of Singapore via Fiji for our fuel and again it’s delivered … by tanker,” he said.

“It pulls up to an area of the island where we have our bulk fuel storage tanks and it pumps from the tanker, into the tanks, and from there, it is managed by an on-island company.”

While supply remains stable, Mostardo said the concern is the broader economic impact.

“What does concern me though is obviously the flow on effect of consumers when it comes to what they’re paying at the pump, particularly if the impacts of the conflict are felt long term” he said.


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Tensions Escalate: Iran Maintains Control Over Strategic Strait Amid US-Iran Standoff


The diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire in the Middle East showed signs of weakening on Thursday, as tensions between Iran and the United States escalated. Iran took steps to strengthen its grip on the vital Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage for global oil and gas trade, while the U.S. bolstered its military presence in the region, signaling the potential for ground engagement within Iran.

In a climate of heightened alert, sirens blared across Israel, warning of incoming missile attacks from Iran. The United Arab Emirates also faced the fallout, with reports of two fatalities and three injuries resulting from debris caused by a missile interception over Abu Dhabi.

Industry specialists have noted that Iran appears to be establishing a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime” in the Strait of Hormuz, with some vessels reportedly paying in Chinese yuan to navigate this crucial waterway, which handles 20% of the world’s traded oil and natural gas during times of peace.

Concurrently, the U.S. has positioned a significant military force in the region. An amphibious assault ship, the USS Tripoli, has moved closer to the Middle East with approximately 2,500 Marines on board. Additionally, over 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division have been dispatched, underscoring the escalating stakes.

Despite these strategic deployments, it remains uncertain whether U.S. President Donald Trump intends to use military force to pressure Iran into reopening the strait and ceasing its hostilities against Gulf Arab nations.

Trump previously deployed a large force in the Caribbean before the American military captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January. In the current situation, the U.S. is seen as focused on possibly seizing Iran’s oil terminal at Kharg Island or other sites near the strait.

U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, who commands the American military in the region, said his forces have hit more than 10,000 targets since Israel and the U.S. started the war Feb. 28, destroying 92% of Iran’s largest ships and more than two-thirds of the country’s missile, drone and naval production facilities.

“We’re not done yet,” said Cooper, who heads the U.S. Central Command, in a video message. “We are on a path to completely eliminate Iran’s wider military apparatus.”

Iran seen as operating Strait of Hormuz as ‘de facto toll booth’

With its stranglehold on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf toward the open ocean, Iran has been blocking ships it perceives as linked to the U.S. and Israeli war effort, but letting through a trickle of others.

The Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted lawmaker Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi as saying that parliament was working to formalize the process of charging fees to let ships pass.

“We provide its security, and it is natural that ships and oil tankers should pay such fees,” he was quoted as saying.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence called it a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime.”

The shipping intelligence firm said vessels have to provide manifests, crew details and their destination to Iran’s Guard for sanctions screening, cargo alignment checks that currently prioritizes oil over all other commodities, and for what is described as ‘geopolitical vetting.’”

“While not all ships are paying a direct toll, at least two vessels have and the payment is settled in yuan,” Lloyd’s List said, referring to China’s currency.

Iran’s grip on the strait and relentless attacks on Gulf regional energy infrastructure has sent oil prices skyrocketing and concerns of a global energy crisis surging. Brent crude, the international standard, traded at US$104 early Thursday, up more than 40% from the day the war started.

“To make it crystal clear, this war is a catastrophe for world’s economies,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters during a visit to Australia.

US maintains negotiations are ongoing but Iran says there are no talks

Using Pakistan as an intermediary, Washington has delivered to Iran a 15-point ceasefire proposal, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump, speaking at a fundraiser Wednesday night in Washington, insisted that Iran still wants to cut a deal.

“They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it because they figure they’ll be killed by their own people,” Trump said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state TV, however, that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war, “and we do not plan on any negotiations.”

Araghchi said the U.S. had tried to send messages to Iran through other nations, “but that is not a conversation nor a negotiation.”

Press TV, the English-language broadcaster on Iranian state television, said Iran has its own five-point proposal, which includes “sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”

A wave of Israeli airstrikes hits as Iran fires on Gulf neighbors

Israel said it carried out a wave of attacks early on Thursday targeting Iranian infrastructure, and air defenses were heard in Tehran, while heavy strikes were also reported around Isfahan, a city some 330 kilometers (205 miles) south of the Iranian capital.

Ifahan is home to a major Iranian air base and other military sites, as well as one of the nuclear sites bombed by the U.S. during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June.

Sirens sounded very early on Thursday morning in parts of Tel Aviv and cities in central Israel and later explosions were heard in Jerusalem. Rescue workers said two people were injured in a blast in Kfar Qasim.

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted multiple drones over its oil-rich Eastern Province, and Bahrain reported extinguishing a blaze in a neighborhood that is home to the Bahrain International Airport.

Since the war began, more than 1,500 people have been killed in Iran, its Health Ministry says. Twenty people have been killed in Israel; three Israeli soldiers have also been killed in Lebanon, including one whose death was announced Thursday. At least 13 American troops have been killed. More than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states have also died.

Nearly 1,100 people have died in Lebanon, authorities said. In Iraq, where Iranian-supported militant groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have been killed.

Teen Mob’s Snack-Fueled Frenzy: Gas Station Clerk Faces Unprecedented Chaos in Viral Video

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A chaotic scene unfolded in Sacramento when a group of teenagers descended upon a gas station convenience store, turning it into a scene of pandemonium. Surveillance footage captured the moment as merchandise was thrown around and a solitary employee was left to manage the upheaval.

The turmoil erupted on March 19 at a Chevron station located on Folsom Boulevard. The Sacramento Police Department reported that a sizable group of young people stormed the store, causing significant damage and disorder.

According to information provided to Fox News Digital by the police, officers were alerted that evening to a disturbance involving about 25 to 30 teenagers at the Folsom Boulevard location in the 8000 block. The caller at the time did not expect police to respond immediately to the scene.

Several days afterward, on March 23, the store reported thefts that occurred during the incident. A patrol officer subsequently documented a robbery report, and the investigation is still in its early phases, as confirmed by police authorities.

Sacramento store owner shows surveillance video after teens ransack Chevron shop

Store manager Shailesh Chand reviewed the damage and surveillance video after the teenagers raided his Chevron convenience store, as reported by FOX 40.

Surveillance video obtained by FOX 40 shows what began as a small group quickly escalating into dozens of teens rushing into the store, knocking items off shelves and throwing snacks and drinks across the aisles.

Store manager Shailesh Chand said the employee on duty was the only worker present and was left trying to manage the chaos alone.

“They feel that they can just walk in any store and pick up things and throw things and do whatever they can do and run away,” Chand told FOX 40.

Chand said the employee on duty was the only staff member present and was left shaken as the situation spiraled. 

Video shows chips, candy and beverages being hurled through the air as the group moved through the aisles, leaving behind extensive damage.

“The crowd was trying to throw candies at him,” Chand said, describing the chaos.

Damage inside Sacramento gas station store after teens throw snacks and drinks

Chips, candy and drinks are seen scattered across the floor after teens trashed a Sacramento convenience store. (KTXL)

Chand told FOX 40 that incidents like this are becoming more frequent, adding that the behavior goes beyond typical shoplifting and has turned increasingly aggressive. He noted the store has had to repair or replace its front door multiple times in recent months due to similar disruptions.

“People who do all these things, they tend to be hostile, also aggressive,” he said.

Chand said he hopes those involved will be identified and held accountable, urging anyone who recognizes the individuals in the video to come forward.

“With the current fluctuations of gas price, it’s kind of hard to survive in this business,” Chand told FOX 40. “We are suffering loss already.”

The Sacramento Police Department said the group involved may be connected to other disturbances reported that same night. Officers did not initially respond to the Chevron location because a formal report had not yet been filed.

Sacramento

Sacramento police said the group involved may be connected to other disturbances reported that same night. (iStock)

The investigation remains ongoing.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

Rising Fuel Costs Prompt Travelers to Rethink Easter Plans, Cafes Consider New Surcharges

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Cafes and businesses are being urged to pass on a surcharge and holidaymakers are canning their Easter road trips as the fuel crisis continues to bite.
Richard and April Croydon had only just begun their lifelong dream holiday of driving around Australia when the war in the Middle East kicked off.

Only a month into what was supposed to be a nine-month adventure, a couple is worried they might have to cut their journey short or risk getting stuck far from home.

Gold Coast man Richard Croydon is four weeks into a nine month road trip.
Gold Coast man Richard Croydon is four weeks into a nine-month road trip. (Nine)

“We might end up truly stranded, a significant distance from home. Fuel prices are really dictating our plans,” explained Mr. Croydon.

Hailing from the Gold Coast, the couple initially set aside between $5,000 and $9,000 for fuel expenses. However, with the recent surge in petrol prices, their costs are expected to nearly double.

“The total could climb to anywhere between $15,000 and $18,000. The spike in fuel prices is going to be a major challenge,” Mr. Croydon noted.

“I’m driving a Dodge Ram, and given its fuel consumption, the current prices are extremely tough to manage,” he added.

Caravan and holiday parks are reporting a spike in cancellations in recent days, with many holidaygoers concerned not only about the price of fuel, but whether they’ll be able to fill up on their way back.

Ocean View Holiday Park’s bookings are now quieter than usual.

“Yeah, light on, not got a few bookings but nowhere near like what we usually have,” Jenny Smart said.

The caravan park industry is one of many sectors in contact with the state government regarding the crisis.

An Ampol petrol station in Neutral Bay, a favourite for motorists on Sydney's Northern Beaches, has been run dry.
Holidaymakers are specifically concerned about the availability of fuel. (Supplied)

“We are reaching out to them on a number of matters that revolve around caravan park sustainability,” Caravan and Residential Parks Victoria chief executive Scott Parker said.

“Some of these places that are being affected have been through a lot in recent times, with – whether it be bushfires or flooding down along the Great Ocean Road.

“These are places that really do need people to go out to those regions.”

More than 8 per cent of service stations across the country are without at least one type of fuel.

In Victoria, 72 stations are without diesel and another 45 are running dry on unleaded petrol.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the government was “working with fuel retailers to make sure that supply is refilled”.

The state opposition is reiterating calls for government intervention by pausing the fuel excise.

Eateries may have to introduce a fuel crisis surcharge if the price of fuel doesn't decrease soon.
Eateries fear they may have to introduce a fuel crisis surcharge if the price of fuel doesn’t decrease soon. (Nine)

“We’ve called on the premier, we’ve called on the prime minister to cut the fuel excise, to temporarily reduce the fuel excise on every litre of petrol and diesel to provide that immediate cost of living relief that Victorians desperately need,” Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said.

“This is a measure the prime minister can do today that will flow through to regional communities, to metropolitan Melbourne.”

The Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association has encouraged business owners to pass on a temporary fuel crisis surcharge to patrons.

“Restaurants and cafes are already on thin margins, can’t absorb those increased costs so we are calling on them to pass them on to consumers with a short-term levy,” association chief executive Wes Lambert said.

Fresco Bar owner George Stamos is doing his best to absorb rising prices at his Adelaide cafe but says he may have no choice but to pass on a fee to customers.

“I haven’t passed it on as yet, I don’t want to pass it on, but if it gets to a point where they are all doing it, I won’t really have a choice,” Stamos said.

Stamos only just bought the business and worries a price increase will turn away customers.

“I think if it gets to a point where petrol is too expensive then people will be working from home and that will really hurt us,” he said.

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Sigourney Weaver and Stanley Tucci Attend Literary Reception Hosted by the Queen

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The Queen paid tribute to the unsung champions of reading during a literary gathering with celebrities, as she commenced filming a new documentary highlighting the ‘life-changing impact of books’.

Accompanied by King Charles and the Duchess of Gloucester, Camilla welcomed the finalists of The Queen’s Reading Room Medal at Clarence House in London.

This esteemed award honors individuals who have fervently supported books and literary culture within UK communities.

The event at Clarence House drew an array of illustrious guests, including Sir Ben Okri, Jojo Moyes, Richard Osman, Sigourney Weaver, Stanley Tucci, Lee Child, Jeffrey Archer, Derek Jacobi, and Robert Harris.

Initially launched as the Duchess of Cornwall’s Reading Room in 2021 to celebrate the transformative power of literature, the initiative has since evolved into The Queen’s Reading Room.

Speaking afterwards Aliens star Sigourney Weaver said she has even signed up for Camilla’s Queen’s Reading Room newsletter.

And she added she was reading The Far Pavilions by M M Kay after it was recommended by The Queen.

She said: ‘I’m so interested in how this is growing because you can do the same thing in America, it’s energising.

Queen Camilla celebrated unsung reading heroes at a literary reception with stars Reeta Chakrabarti, Tan Twan Eng, Sir Ben Okri, Lee Child, Selina Cadell, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci

Queen Camilla celebrated unsung reading heroes at a literary reception with stars Reeta Chakrabarti, Tan Twan Eng, Sir Ben Okri, Lee Child, Selina Cadell, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci

Camilla was joined by King Charles and Duchess of Gloucester to meet finalists of The Queen's Reading Room Medal, at Clarence House, London

Camilla was joined by King Charles and Duchess of Gloucester to meet finalists of The Queen’s Reading Room Medal, at Clarence House, London 

Queen Camilla speaks to Selina Cadell, who played Sally Tishell in the long-running ITV medical dramedy Doc Martin, at a reception for authors where Sigourney Weaver (centre) said in a speech she has even signed up for Camilla's Queen's Reading Room newsletter

Queen Camilla speaks to Selina Cadell, who played Sally Tishell in the long-running ITV medical dramedy Doc Martin, at a reception for authors where Sigourney Weaver (centre) said in a speech she has even signed up for Camilla’s Queen’s Reading Room newsletter

At the royal reception, Selina Brown won a medal as 'National Reading Hero' after founding the Black British Book Festival - which is Europe's largest celebration of black literature

At the royal reception, Selina Brown won a medal as ‘National Reading Hero’ after founding the Black British Book Festival – which is Europe’s largest celebration of black literature

Britain's King Charles speaks to Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci at a reception for authors, members of the literary community and representatives from the Queen's Reading Room

Britain’s King Charles speaks to Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci at a reception for authors, members of the literary community and representatives from the Queen’s Reading Room

In a speech the Queen said the success of her online reading community, which she founded five years ago, was something 'beyond anyone's wildest dreams, especially mine!'

In a speech the Queen said the success of her online reading community, which she founded five years ago, was something ‘beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, especially mine!’

Jojo Moyes, who is well known for her romance novels like Me Before You, was also in attendance of the Queen's reception

Jojo Moyes, who is well known for her romance novels like Me Before You, was also in attendance of the Queen’s reception

‘The ideas that adults are not reading or reading go their children is sad. Reading is everything. I wouldn’t have a career if I wasn’t a reader.’

The actress added she was ‘shocked’ by recent statistics revealed by Camilla in January revealed only one in two adults in the UK read a book in a year.

In a speech Camilla revealed she is appearing in a new BBC documentary with cameras filming at the palace.

Standing in front of celebrated authors she said: ‘I’m also delighted to announce that we have partnered with the BBC and Blink Films for a major new documentary that will showcase the life-transforming power of books – my father’s and my own experience included – for which the cameras are filming here this evening.’

Camilla’s late father Bruce Shand published his memoir about World War II exploits and time spent as a prisoner of war.

And she has previously described him as ‘probably the best-read man I’ve come across anywhere. He devoured books. He read to us as children’.

The documentary will mark the UK-wide National Year of Reading 2026 and produced in partnership with The Open University.

At the royal reception, Selina Brown won a medal as ‘National Reading Hero’ after founding the Black British Book Festival – which is Europe’s largest celebration of black literature.

Queen Camilla presenting Liz Waterland her medal as 'Local Reading Hero' for her commitment to volunteering at Deepings Community Library in Lincolnshire

Queen Camilla presenting Liz Waterland her medal as ‘Local Reading Hero’ for her commitment to volunteering at Deepings Community Library in Lincolnshire

Queen Camilla speaking to Ann Cleeves at a reception for authors, members of the literary community and representatives from the Queen's Reading Room, at Clarence House

Queen Camilla speaking to Ann Cleeves at a reception for authors, members of the literary community and representatives from the Queen’s Reading Room, at Clarence House

Reeta Chakrabarti, a journalist and correspondent for the BBC, greeting the Queen

Reeta Chakrabarti, a journalist and correspondent for the BBC, greeting the Queen

Lee Child was one of the star-studded guest list for the celebration of authors and literature

Lee Child was one of the star-studded guest list for the celebration of authors and literature

Queen Camilla speaking to Malaysian novelist Tan Twan Eng, who wrote the Man Asian Literary Prize winner The Garden of Evening Mists

Queen Camilla speaking to Malaysian novelist Tan Twan Eng, who wrote the Man Asian Literary Prize winner The Garden of Evening Mists

Queen Camilla speaks with writer and poet Ben Okri, who is considered to be one of the foremost African authors in the postmodern and post-colonial tradition

Queen Camilla speaks with writer and poet Ben Okri, who is considered to be one of the foremost African authors in the postmodern and post-colonial tradition

Queen Camilla poses for a photo with the female winners and finalists during a reception for authors

Queen Camilla poses for a photo with the female winners and finalists during a reception for authors

Selina Brown, historian Adam Zamoyski and Queen Camilla speak during a reception for authors

Selina Brown, historian Adam Zamoyski and Queen Camilla speak during a reception for authors

Camilla presented the medal and said: ‘Many congratulations’

Liz Waterland received a medal as ‘Local Reading Hero’ for her commitment to volunteering at Deepings Community Library in Lincolnshire.

Presenting the medal Camilla said: ‘Fantastic job. You are so brilliant.’

A copy of Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘How Watson Learned the Trick’ from Queen Mary’s Doll’s House at Windsor Castle.

And early editions of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Indian Health Service Tackles Long-Standing Medical Building Construction Delays

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In SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP), an unoccupied plot nestled between a fire station and a soccer field near Albuquerque is poised to become the site of a long-awaited federal medical center dedicated to Native American patients, a promise that dates back over three decades.

Recently, Santa Ana Pueblo Governor Myron Armijo guided representatives from the U.S. Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services through the proposed site, which is set to offer a comprehensive range of services. Patients can expect treatments spanning from dialysis and diabetes management to optometry.

“This development is set to revolutionize healthcare access in our community,” stated Armijo.

Slated for groundbreaking in 2027, the expansive 235,000-square-foot (22,000-square-meter) center will be managed by the IHS, the federal body responsible for healthcare services to Native Americans. Tribal leaders anticipate that this new establishment will alleviate the strain on the antiquated and overburdened Albuquerque Indian Health Center. Originally constructed 90 years ago, this federal facility currently leaves some patients waiting for months to secure an appointment.

The Albuquerque center was among over 60 healthcare institutions identified for replacement by the agency in 1993 due to outdated infrastructure and insufficient capacity to meet the demands of a growing population. It remains on this list alongside six other projects across Arizona and New Mexico. IHS officials have announced plans to supersede the current facility with two new centers in the Albuquerque vicinity, including the forthcoming project at Santa Ana Pueblo.

In February, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged $1 billion toward those long-delayed projects, including $22 million for the Santa Ana Pueblo center. The agency estimates $8 billion is needed to tackle all remaining projects on the 1993 list that, under federal law, must be complete before the IHS can address other major construction needs.

A.C. Locklear, CEO of the nonprofit National Indian Health Board, said the $1 billion is the single largest financial investment by any administration in addressing the aging facilities. Yet, he said, it also shows the federal government has neglected its legal duty to provide adequate healthcare to tribal nations.

“It’s a drop in the bucket in terms of what’s needed to modernize these facilities,” Locklear said.

Aging infrastructure impacts access, quality of care

The IHS serves 2.8 million Native American and Alaska Native patients at 21 hospitals and 78 smaller health centers nationwide. The average age of those facilities is around 40 years old and one-third are in “poor” physical condition, according to a 2023 U.S. Government Accountability Office report.

That isn’t lost on Theresa Nelson, a 62-year-old Navajo Nation citizen who started relying on the Albuquerque Indian Health Center after retiring and losing her health insurance.

“It felt like going back in time,” she said, describing everything from the X-ray machines to exam rooms and waiting room furniture as outdated.

Nelson said the center relies on a complex system of outside referrals for treatments and tests that were easier to access in the private sector. She has been waiting for eight weeks for IHS to approve a referral for a 3D mammogram, a tool the Mayo Clinic says is offered at most U.S. healthcare facilities.

The Indian Health Service said appointment wait times at the Albuquerque center are less than 14 days for patients who are established with a primary care provider. But Nelson and other patients report going years without being assigned a doctor and waiting months to be seen for preventative care.

Farther west, the Gallup Indian Medical Center operates out of a mashup of modular buildings and piecemeal renovations. The hospital, which opened over six decades ago and is on the 1993 list, serves a population that includes the Navajo Nation. Tribal lawmaker Vince James said constant construction and a disjointed layout make it difficult for elderly and disabled patients to navigate the hospital and for providers to do their jobs.

“These are Band-Aid fixes,” James said. “Eventually the GIMC campus will become unsafe.”

An “unacceptable” backlog

Senior HHS adviser Mark Cruz urged Congress to make a special appropriation to complete the remaining projects that are in various stages of planning and design.

Without that funding, he said, it could take another 40 years to get through the priority list.

“It’s really unacceptable that we’re still working off of that 33-year-old construction list,” Cruz said during the Santa Ana Pueblo tour.

Federal law requires the Indian Health Service to complete that list before replacing clinics and hospitals that have fallen into disrepair since 1993. That includes two nearly 90-year-old hospitals in Montana and Minnesota. The agency also can’t build new facilities to meet patient demand, which has grown and shifted geographically in recent decades.

“I can’t get to additional projects that have merit across Indian Country or Alaska because I have a statutory obligation to get through the 1993 list first,” Cruz said.

In 2023 the IHS crossed a project in Rapid City, South Dakota off its priority list. The replacement of the aging and troubled Sioux San Hospital has been “transformational,” said Jerilyn Church, CEO of the Great Plains Tribal Leader’s Health Board.

The renamed Oyate Health Center is three times larger than the former hospital and equipped with far more modern medical equipment. But demand for care at the new center is already outstripping available space.

“That’s what happens when you work from a backlog,” Church said. “In the time between identifying the need and the money finally becoming available, the population grows.”

Open Heaven 26 March 2026 – Take Care Of Your Husband

Open Heaven 26 March 2026 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Take Care Of Your Husband

Open Heaven 26 March 2026 TOPIC – Take Care Of Your Husband

MEMORISE: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. – Colossians 3:18 (KJV)

READ: Ephesians 5:22-24 (KJV)

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 15-16

Open Heaven 26 March 2026 MESSAGE

In today’s Bible reading, wives are instructed to submit to their own husbands in everything. Part of this submission entails helping them to fulfil their God-given assignment and taking care of their needs.

Wives are helpmeets (Genesis 2:18-22) and are required to cater to their husbands’ spiritual, nutritional, and emotional needs. Wives can care for their husbands spiritually by always praying for them. A good wife should also cater to her husband’s nutritional needs. It is not good for a man to be hungry and not be fed. Matthew 21:18-19 tells us that when Jesus was hungry, and He didn’t find food on a fig tree, He cursed the tree. An African proverb says a hungry man is an angry man. If you don’t feed your husband, you will always have an angry man at home.

Wives should also pay attention to their husbands’ sexual and emotional needs. Surprisingly, some wives move from one prayer mountain to another in search of a divine intervention that will make their husbands love them more than ever before, yet they neglect their husbands’ needs. If a woman honours her husband and sees to it that she caters to his spiritual, nutritional, and sexual needs, all other things being equal, she will not need to be jumping from one prayer mountain to the other to seek his love. When a husband’s needs are well catered to by his wife, all other things being equal, he will love and bless her from the bottom of his heart (Proverbs 31:28).

Some wives are very respectful towards their bosses at work and pastors in church but disrespect their husbands. Such actions do not please God. Today’s memory verse states that wives should submit to their husbands in a way that is fitting unto the Lord. This means that there is a kind of ‘submission’ that is not fitting unto the Lord. When a wife submits to her husband in one area and hides other things from him because of her selfish ambitions and desires, it is not fitting unto the Lord. Men generally have big egos, and a wife’s total submission to her husband caters to his emotional needs and makes him feel valued. When a wife refuses to submit to her husband, she is invariably saying that she doesn’t value him, and this is so terrible that it can cause her husband to develop low self-esteem.

If you are a wife, taking care of your husband is a God-given assignment; when you do it well, it will open doors of blessings to you.

Open Heaven 26 March 2026 KEY POINT

Wives should submit to their own husbands and take care of their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Open Heaven 26 March 2026 HYMN 28 – Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah!

1 Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah!
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven!
Feed me now and evermore (2ce)

2 Open Thou the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow:
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer! strong deliverer!
Be Thou still my strength and shield (2ce)

3 If I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside:
Bear me through the swelling torrent,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs of praises! songs of praises!
I will ever give to Thee (2ce)

4 Saviour, come! We long to see Thee,
Long to dwell with Thee above;
And to know in full communion,
All the sweetness of Thy love.
Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord Jesus!
Take Thy waiting people home (2ce)

Accessing the Devotional
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REMINDER!!! JESUS IS COMING SOON

ARE YOU BORN AGAIN? IF NO, WHY NOT ACCEPT JESUS NOW!

Accept Jesus Christ today and secure a life of eternal rest and Glory by saying this short prayer below:






Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins, Forgive me of all my iniquities. I accept you as my Lord and Saviour from today and forever.



Come and Be the Lord of my life and I am willing to obey Your command and live according to Your will by Your Grace, Thank you for accepting me into Your fold

AMEN!!! John 6:37…and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

DCLM Daily Manna 4 March 2026 — Nineveh Again?

DCLM Daily Manna 4 March 2026 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Nineveh Again?

TOPIC: Nineveh Again? (DCLM Daily Manna 4 March 2026)

KEY VERSE: “Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him – Nahum 1:6

TEXT: Nahum 1:1-6 (KJV)

1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

3 The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

DCLM Daily Manna For Today MESSAGE:

Sir Richard Baker (1568–1645), a renowned English historian and religious writer, was correct when he stated that “God’s anger, like the house that Samson pulled upon his own head, does not fall upon us unless we bring it upon ourselves through sin.”

The Ninevites of Prophet Nahum’s day demonstrated the truth in Sir Baker ’s observation. They brought the wrath of God upon themselves by provoking Him again with their egregious sins, especially their affliction of God’s people. About a hundred years earlier, Prophet Jonah was in this capital of the Assyrian empire to proclaim their imminent overthrow. They responded to Jonah’s preaching with sincere repentance, thereby averting divine wrath. With time, the Ninevites relapsed into wickedness and pride. The new generation of Ninevites distanced themselves from the contrition of their forebears. Their cup of iniquity was filled, and Prophet Nahum was saddled with the burden of announcing God’s justice and wrath against them in the most terrifying terms.

In this startling prophecy, we have a glimpse of the terrific power of God to deliver judgment, “upon every soul of man that doeth evil” as well as “glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good” (Romans 2:9,10). The Lord is jealous for His glory, “furious” and unsparing in the execution of His justice. Who can stand before the indignation or abide in the fierceness of the anger of God who has “his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet”? The sea, rivers, mountains, hills, indeed, the world and its contents, yield to His command!

Following these prophecies, Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire were conquered by the Medes and the Babylonians, vanishing away like vapour. The ruins of Nineveh stand as a monument of warning to every proud and rebellious person who nurses the vain notion that he can evade or resist the fierceness of God’s punishment. God is slow to anger because He gives every sinner a chance to repent. The Lord is ever patient but not forever.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Taking God’s grace for granted is the riskiest venture

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Corinthians 11-13

Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2025 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

REMINDER!!! JESUS IS COMING SOON

ARE YOU BORN AGAIN? IF NO, WHY NOT ACCEPT JESUS NOW!

Accept Jesus Christ today and secure a life of eternal rest and Glory by saying this short prayer below:






Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins, Forgive me of all my iniquities. I accept you as my Lord and Saviour from today and forever.



Come and Be the Lord of my life and I am willing to obey Your command and live according to Your will by Your Grace, Thank you for accepting me into Your fold

AMEN!!! John 6:37…and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.