A Baltimore judge has halted the against an Anne Arundel County gun shop, which sold thousands of untraceable “ghost guns” miles from city limits, ahead of trial because of a U.S. Supreme Court case that could determine the legal definition of a firearm. Baltimore’s case against Hanover Armory LLC had been scheduled to begin in early December, but Circuit Judge Shannon E. Avery froze it last week pending a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in . The case before the nation’s highest court is the gun industry’s challenge to one of President Joe Biden’s preeminent gun safety measures. By selling thousands of so-called ghost guns near city limits, Baltimore alleges, Hanover Armory helped flood city streets with untraceable firearms that police went on to confiscate at staggering rates in connection to crimes. “As long as people who are not legally allowed to possess a firearm — young people, known violent offenders and gun traffickers — have the opportunity to build these tools of death and destruction and violence, we will not be able to build the safer future for Baltimore that we all want,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, a Democrat, said when he announced the lawsuit in 2022. “These weapons will continue to be used in crimes that tear loved ones away from their families and traumatize our communities.” The city estimates Hanover Armory was responsible for selling approximately 85% of the ghost gun kits sold in Maryland from about 2016 until June 2022, when the state banned such products. Over that time, Hanover sold 2,347 such products. The 15 other gun stores for which the city got records sold a combined 415 over the same period, according to court records. In 2022, Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which regulates the gun industry, also imposed further restrictions on the sale of ghost gun kits. Its new rule said the build-it-at-home gun kits amounted to firearms under the federal Gun Control Act of 1968, meaning dealers had to complete background checks on customers before selling and manufacturers had to mark the products with serial numbers. David Pucino, legal director and deputy chief counsel at Giffords Law Center, a gun violence prevention organization, said the ATF’s rule sharply reduced sales of ghost gun kits, leading the gun industry to challenge it in courts around the country. The industry won favorable rulings in Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit which said the ATF overstepped its authority by making the rule. A decision from the Supreme Court could take months. Oral arguments took place in October. “The opinion will say whether that rule can be federal law. The rule says ghost gun parts are firearms,” Pucino, who is not involved in the city’s case, told The Baltimore Sun. Pucino said the Supreme Court’s ruling could have implications for Baltimore’s lawsuit, which brings claims under state and federal law. Pucino said the claims raised under federal law could be nullified if the high court ruled the ATF’s 2022 rule was improper. “Baltimore has a strong claim to win under state law no matter what happens with federal law,” Pucino said. Hanover Armory asked Avery to freeze the case, arguing that a Supreme Court ruling favoring the gun industry could end the case. Lawyers for Hanover also said going to trial against that backdrop would waste resources, potentially rendering a jury’s work “meaningless.” An attorney for Hanover declined to comment Wednesday. The city opposed a delay, saying in a court filing its case was poised for trial, “even if the U.S. Supreme Court went so far as to say ‘ghost gun kits can never be firearms.’” Baltimore’s lawyers wrote that its claims against Hanover included issues of Maryland law. “The City will put forward evidence that Hanover Armory negligently entrusted its parts and kits in a manner that foreseeably contributed to the harm suffered by the City,” the city’s lawyers wrote. “The city will also put forth evidence that Hanover Armory knowingly violated the Maryland Handgun (Roster) Law as an accomplice.” The city also said postponing the trial would exacerbate the crisis and delay a resolution. In addition to damages from the trial, the city is seeking to establish a fund to mitigate gun violence caused by ghost guns. “The City looks forward to having its day in court and remains confident that it will hold Hanover Armory accountable for its contribution to the ghost gun crisis in Baltimore City,” spokesperson Bryan Doherty said on behalf of the city’s law department. Baltimore’s argument against the gun shop mirrors its . In both lawsuits, the city alleges the companies contributed to a public nuisance that deprived residents of their rights to health and safety. To succeed in the gun case, Baltimore’s lawyers must convince a jury that the shop added to a crisis of violence fueled by untraceable firearms. If the city wins at trial, as it did in the opioid case, it advances to an “abatement phase” of the litigation with an even larger pool of money on the table. “The City continues to grapple with the destructive effects of the ghost gun crisis. The Baltimore Police Department still regularly recovers ghost guns from crime scenes,” city attorneys wrote. “Accordingly, one of the City’s primary remedies in this case will be an abatement fund to halt the crisis. Eight more months of waiting will mean eight more months without an adequate remedy for Hanover Armory’s conduct.” Avery’s order said lawyers on both sides of the case had to file a request for a status conference within 10 days of the Supreme Court’s ruling. The postponement comes after the city , overcoming an effort from Hanover to end the case without a trial. It also follows the , which was said to be the nation’s largest manufacturer of ghost gun kits, for $1.2 million.Two new stores open at Bluewater in time for Christmas and a Yankee Candle experience is on the way80jili com app 。

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Former Manchester United and Olympique Lyonnais defender Rafael da Silva has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 34.Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is consistently too high. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to serious health complications such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Given the significant impact of hypertension on overall health and well-being, it is crucial for individuals, particularly those in the 45 and above age group, to prioritize regular blood pressure monitoring and adopt healthy lifestyle practices to reduce their risk.

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In the recently concluded season, Son once again showcased his talent and importance to the team, scoring vital goals and playing a pivotal role in Tottenham's quest for success. Despite facing uncertainties about his future at the club, Son remained focused and determined, giving his all in every game he played. His resilience and never-say-die attitude have earned him the admiration of fans and pundits alike, with many applauding his leadership both on and off the pitch.Romanians cast ballots in presidential race that could pit nationalist against leftist in a runoffThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Indian government has attached at least 193 properties in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since the start of 2023. The move is widely criticized as punitive action against Kashmiris for their association with the ongoing freedom movement. According to Kashmir Media Service, the confiscations, involving lands, houses, shops, and offices, have been carried out by India’s dreaded agencies such as the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and Special Investigation Agency (SIA), along with the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Observers view this as part of New Delhi’s broader strategy to economically weaken Kashmiris and suppress their aspirations for freedom. Critics argue that the confiscations are carried out under the guise of draconian laws and have escalated since the abrogation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019. Political experts and analysts in Srinagar described the actions as part of a settler-colonial project aimed at altering the region’s demographics by displacing local Kashmiris and facilitating the settlement of non-locals. Properties belonging to prominent pro-freedom leaders and organizations, including those of the late Syed Ali Gilani, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, and Jamaat-e-Islami, have been targeted. Even the headquarters of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Srinagar has been confiscated. Additionally, numerous residential houses, shops, and complexes have been demolished under similar pretexts. Experts emphasize that these measures are intended to intimidate the local population into abandoning their support for the freedom movement. They warn that such actions are deepening economic distress in the territory and fueling resentment among the people of IIOJK. The Modi-led BJP government has also identified additional properties for attachment, signaling a continuation of this policy. Observers lament that these measures are a clear attempt to economically cripple the people of Kashmir and force them into submission. “Destroying homes, demolishing shops, and confiscating properties will not subdue the Kashmiris’ resolve for freedom,” local political analysts said, urging the international community to take notice of India’s actions. Despite these aggressive tactics, Kashmiris remain steadfast in their pursuit of self-determination. Experts warn that such colonial practices have failed in the past and are unlikely to succeed in the future. Calls for an international response to India’s policies in IIOJK are growing as the region faces increasing oppression.

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Holiday gift ideas for the movie lover, from bios and books to a status toteMa:nyo’s senior vice-president Choi Jin-ho lets workers manage their work schedules, as long as they complete the mandatory number of working hours stipulated each month. SEOUL – At K-beauty brand Ma:nyo, employees can take time off from work to look after their children, run errands, or pop out for a yoga class or tennis lesson – during office hours. They are free to manage their work schedules, as long as they complete the mandatory number of working hours stipulated each month, which averages about 171 hours. This works out to roughly 81⁄2 hours a day. “It is about focusing on the work tasks, rather than the work hours, so I think that makes my company more efficient and more effective,” Ma:nyo’s senior vice-president Choi Jin-ho told The Straits Times. The company, known for its best-selling cleansing oil product, was named an exemplary employer for its work-family balance policies by the South Korean government in September. Ma:nyo’s flexible working arrangement bucks the trend in South Korea’s notoriously demanding corporate culture. One in four workers is not able to leave the workplace on time, a poll released in October found, with respondents citing excessive workloads and office culture as the primary reasons. Poor work-life balance has been cited as a key reason for South Korea’s nose-diving fertility rate, which hit a record low of 0.72 birth per person in 2023 , a situation that politicians have called a national emergency. South Korean workers put in an average of 1,872 hours annually in 2023, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), when the average for OECD countries was 1,742 hours. In an economic outlook report released in July, the OECD attributed South Korea’s declining birth rate to several factors, including a challenging social climate that makes it difficult to balance work and family. It emphasised the need to “reduce working hours to improve work-life balance and help turn around the fertility trend”, and suggested expanding parental leave to all workers, as well as expanding public and workplace childcare facilities. The South Korean authorities are now targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) like Ma:nyo, which account for 83 per cent of employment in the country, to promote better work-life balance work cultures, in a bid to ease the declining birth rate. From February 2025, the government will offer tax incentives for SMEs that meet the Labour Ministry’s criteria for exemplary work-life balance practices and increase subsidies for those that hire substitute workers to cover employees on maternity leave. When announcing the measures in late September, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said employers and workplace cultures play a key role in encouraging a higher birth rate. He added that the companies benefit as well, because “supporting work-life balance is not simply an increase in costs, but an investment that enhances corporate competitiveness and leads to greater growth”. Apart from creating a new ministry by 2025 to oversee low birth rate issues, the South Korean authorities are also rolling out more measures to incentivise employees to have children. The measures, starting in February 2025, include the doubling of paternal leave from 10 days to 20 days for fathers with newborn children. Parental leave benefits will also be raised to 2.5 million won (S$2,400) per month from the current 1.5 million won, for the first three months after the birth of a child. Mothers with prematurely born babies are granted 100 days of maternity leave instead of the standard 90 days, while fertility treatment leave will be increased from three days to six. Households with newborns will be given priority in housing allocations and low-interest loans for home purchases. At Ma:nyo, the employee birth rate has increased threefold since the introduction of flexible working hours in early 2022. The company, which has just over 100 employees, will see a total of six babies born in 2024. Ma:nyo designer Kim Sol-mi, 34, who has been with the company for seven years, did not think much about flexible work arrangements until after she became a mother around two years ago. Ms Kim Sol-mi, 34, a designer at K-beauty brand Ma:nyo, has a 23-month-old baby and finds the company’s flexi-time work arrangement very “valuable”. ST PHOTO: WENDY TEO She had returned from maternity leave right after the company implemented the new practice. Recently, her now 23-month-old baby had a bone fracture, and it made her realise how “valuable” the flexi-time work arrangement is for a good work-life balance. “The waiting time at paediatric orthopaedic clinics is extremely long, so having the flexibility to step out of the office during work hours was a tremendous help,” said Ms Kim. Other parents told ST that they welcomed the new government measures. Mr Jang Sang-ho’s wife lost her job of 10 years at an architectural design firm after taking two years of parental leave to care for their two sons, now aged six and four. During her leave, she received a government subsidy of up to half of her monthly salary. Mr Jang Sang-ho’s wife lost her job of 10 years at an architectural design firm after taking two years of maternity leave. Fortunately, Mr Jang works at a government agency that has a flexi-work policy. PHOTO: COURTESY OF JANG SANG-HO The subsidy will be capped at 23.1 million won a year from next February, up from 18 million won currently. “Her company had hired someone to replace her during her leave, and when my wife wanted to return, they apologised and said they cannot afford to support both of them at the same time. So my wife had to leave,” Mr Jang told ST. Fortunately for the couple, Mr Jang is a researcher at government agency Korea Institute For Robot Industry Advancement, which since 2021 has implemented a flexi-work policy introduced by the public sector to help parents raising young children. His daily working hours have been shortened by two hours without affecting his income. Instead of working from 9am to 6pm, he now works from 10am to 5pm, allowing him to drop off and pick up his children from childcare. This freed up time for his wife to look for a new position. She has found a similar architectural design job, but with a slightly lower pay than the previous one. If their finances allow, the couple will consider having a third child, given that Mr Jang’s work arrangement allows him to help out with childcare responsibilities. “For my wife, working is not just about the money, it is about her own life and dreams. She put aside her own aspirations to be my wife and the mother to our two children, but I want her to continue pursuing her dreams.” Mr Kim Hyun-soo took turns with his wife, a public servant, to take parental leave to care for their three children, aged 10, four and one. Mr Kim Hyun-soo, pictured here with his family, was promoted, even while he was on parental leave. This inspired his other colleagues to pick up the courage to take parental leave as well. PHOTO: COURTESY OF KIM HYUN-SOO The 42-year-old works at automotive parts company Hyundai Transys, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group. He took one year of parental leave in 2021 to help his eldest daughter adjust to elementary school, and was pleasantly surprised when he was promoted during his leave period. “Being promoted while on leave was surprising. I expected to be excluded, so it felt even more rewarding,” he told ST. As an active member of three parenting communities, Mr Kim is trying to change other fathers’ mindsets towards taking paternity leave. “Many fathers in the community groups express a strong desire to take paternity leave but are hesitant to do so, as it might affect their careers,” he said. Still, he advises them to try taking just one month of leave to spend time with their children. “After they experience the benefits of hands-on parenting, they might be more encouraged to embrace paternity leave benefits, which are a legally protected right.” Get the ST Smart Parenting newsletter for expert advice. Visit the microsite for more. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now