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Terrified families fleeing in fear of ethnic cleansing after the collapse of Nagorno-Karabakh are running out of water and fuel during the desperate two-day odyssey to neighbouring Armenia. More than 90,000 Karabakh Armenians – around three-quarters of the total population – have now left their homes in the breakaway enclave, which is internationally recognised as being part of Azerbaijan. The United Nations fears the stunning fall of the enclave could mean there will eventually be no Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh, prompting concerns of ethnic cleansing. It is the largest exodus of people in the South Caucasus since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The breakaway region - also known by Armenians as Artsakh - had enjoyed de facto independence for three decades before Azerbaijan launched a lightning military operation earlier this month. It forced separatist forces to lay down their weapons and fto agree to formally dissolve the breakaway government. Fearing reprisals, as Baku’s forces moved into the main cities and arrested Armenian officials, hungry and scared families packed what few belongings they could into cars and trucks and left their homes for good. Valeri, 17, fled the village of Kichan, 70 km north of the Armenian border with his family and neighbours. In total, they squeezed 35 people into a Ford Transit and made the four-day journey to safety, sitting on top of each other and sleeping in shifts. “We couldn’t take anything with us because the shelling was too intense as we escaped,” he told The Independent. They had to hide in a large waste water pipe to escape artillery fire, he said. In the chaos, families were separated and the mobile coverage in the mountainous regions means they are still trying to reconnect. His family has been forced to move six times since the early 1990s and, like so many Armenians, find themselves homeless again. “I don’t think it’s possible to go back to Kichan, even if we could go back everything will be wrecked or stolen,” he said. Others described a 40km hairpin road to Armenia at a near standstill, with some vehicles breaking down for a lack of fuel. In the lead-up to Azerbaijan’s operation, Baku had imposed a 10-month blockade on the enclave leading to chronic shortages of food and petrol supplies. “All you can see is a sea of cars stretching to the horizon, people are cooking by the side of the road,” said Gev Iskajyan, 31, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Artsakh, as he arrived exhausted in the Armenian capital Yerevan. He fled the region’s main city Stepanakert, or Khankendi as it is known in Azerbaijan, fearing he could be arrested if he stayed. “Resources are so scarce there, people are running out of water and fuel on the road along the way out. If anything happens to children and the elderly, no one can get to them. Ambulances can’t move,” he told The Independent. He said most families believed they would not ever be able to return home and that this was the end of Armenian presence. “It weighs heavy. Nagorno-Karabakh isn’t just a place, it is a culture, it has its own dialect,” he said. “You look at the people in the back of trucks, they have to fit their entire life in a single box, they can’t bring everything, they can’t go back, it breaks your heart. “It is centuries of history lost.” Nagorno-Karabakh isn’t just a place, it is a culture, it has its own dialect Gev Iskajyan, an Armenian advocate who fled to Yerevan The centuries-old conflict that has raged through the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh remains the longest-running in post-Soviet Eurasia. The 4,400 square kilometre territory is officially part of Azerbaijan but after a bloody war following the dissolution of the USSR in the 1990s, the region’s Armenian-majority population enjoyed state-like autonomy and status. That changed in 2020 when Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, launched a military offensive and took back swathes of territory in a six-week conflict that killed thousands of soldiers and civilians. Russia, which supports Armenia, brokered a tense cessation of hostilities. But that was broken earlier this month when Baku launched a 24-hour blitz which proved too much for Armenian separatist forces, who are outgunned and outnumbered. They agreed to lay down their weapons and dissolve the entire enclave. Residents still left in Nagorno-Karabakh told The Independent that Azerbaijani forces and police entered the main city. “People are intensively fleeing after the forces entered, and took over the governmental buildings,” said one man who asked not to be named over concerns for his safety. Baku has also detained prominent Armenians as they attempted to flee, prompting fears more arrests may follow. Among them was Ruben Vardanyan, a billionaire investment banker, who served as the head of Karabakh’s separatist government between November 2022 and February this year. On Friday, Russian state media reported that the Azerbaijani military had also detained former separatist commander Levon Mnatsakanyan as he also tried to escape. He led the army of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh from 2015 to 2018. The UN, meanwhile, said they were readying themselves for as many as 120,000 refugees to flood into Armenia, a third of them children. “The major concern for us is that many of them have been separated from their family,” said Regina De Dominicis, regional director of the UN’s child agency. “This is a situation where they’ve lived under nine months of blockade,” added Kavita Belani, UNHCR representative in Armenia. “When they come in, they’re full of anxiety, they’re scared, they’re frightened and they want answers.” Read More More than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh's population flees as separatist government says it will dissolve The fall of an enclave in Azerbaijan stuns the Armenian diaspora, extinguishing a dream AP PHOTOS: Tens of thousands of Armenians flee in mass exodus from breakaway region of Azerbaijan More than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh's population flees as separatist government says it will dissolve The fall of an enclave in Azerbaijan stuns the Armenian diaspora, extinguishing a dream Why this week's mass exodus from embattled Nagorno-Karabakh reflects decades of animosity

Las Vegas police have arrested a man on suspicion of murder in the shooting of hip-hop star Tupac

Cardio isn’t so bad if you take it in small steps. Climbing at least 50 stairs each day could significantly slash your risk of heart disease, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, found that ascending more than five flights of stairs daily could reduce the risk of cardiovascular ailments by about 20 per cent. Cardiovascular diseases such as Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) along with coronary artery disease and strokes are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. “Short bursts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profile, especially among those unable to achieve the current physical activity recommendations,” said co-author Dr Lu Qi, HCA Regents Chair and professor at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. “These findings highlight the potential advantages of stair climbing as a primary preventive measure for ASCVD in the general population.” For the study, researchers used data from a UK Biobank of 450,000 adults and participants were analysed based on their family history of cardiovascular disease as well as their genetic risk factors and established risk factors. Participants were also asked about their lifestyle habits and their frequency of climbing stairs, with the median follow-up time being 12.5 years. The results revealed that climbing more stairs daily reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in those who were less susceptible, with Dr Qi saying the increased risk of heart disease in more susceptible people could be “effectively offset”. “This study provides novel evidence for the protective effects of stair climbing on the risk of ASCVD, particularly for individuals with multiple ASCVD risk factors,” Dr Qi added. ‘A significant training effect’ Dr Nicolas Berger, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise at England’s Teesside University, who was not a part of the study, says walking up staircases has more benefits than walking on a flat surface because it “requires the use of more muscles as well as some balance and gross motor skills.” He says even though these may be in “short bursts”, it still “requires a lot of activity from your cardiovascular system and that is why people often find themselves out of breath whilst climbing stairs. “These short, intermittent bursts of activity have large benefits in terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. They can significantly increase your heart rate and oxygen uptake and cause positive adaptations in the body,” Dr Berger adds. Although 50 steps a day might not seem like much “it can have a significant training effect.” This type of movement activates muscles such as the glutes, quads, hamstring and calves, as well as muscles in the core, Dr Berger says. If you are not much of a runner, Dr Berger suggests taking stairs may be a useful option. “It’s an attractive alternative to just walking or running for many, due to the easy access for most people in their houses or when out. “If there are no stairs available, walking up and down steep gradients also has similar benefits and demands. Getting up off the floor or low ground has benefits in terms of strength and balance, but not so much for the cardiovascular system. “Overall, incorporating this activity into daily habits for sedentary people, people at risk or anyone trying to stay healthy is a good suggestion,” he adds. Read More How many steps a day can cut risk of early death (and it’s not 10,000) Tread carefully: Do we really need to walk 10,000 steps a day? What I gained (and lost) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Is a four-day week a good idea? | You Ask The Questions 9 science-backed ways to lose weight without going on a diet A Japanese doctor who studied longevity — and lived to 105 — said if you must retire, do it well after 65

The military will provide help with analysis, logistics and explosives handling, the PM says.

The Supreme Court will leap into online moderation debate for the second year running after the justices on Friday agreed to decide whether states can essentially control how social media companies operate.

You can play Dr. Seuss ‘Scrabble’ here or there—you can play it anywhere!

A medical student suspected of killing three people on a shooting rampage in Rotterdam previously tortured animals and had Nazi material on his phone, it has been claimed. The 32-year-old suspect, named as Fouad L, opened fire on his neighbour’s home on Friday, killing a 14-year-old girl and her mother. He then stormed the Erasmus University Medical Center, where he was a student, and shot dead a university lecturer. Dutch media claim Fouad L’s neighbour had reported him for animal cruelty and the university had dropped his diploma. Prosecutors confirmed on Friday that they were previously concerned enough about his behaviour that they had sent a letter to his school, warning about his “psychotic behaviour” over his treatment of animals. Police also discovered Nazi-related and right-wing material, as well as images of people being stabbed, on the phone of the suspect two years ago, according to local media. The city of Rotterdam remained in shock on Friday morning after the deadly attacks by the lone gunman. The suspect first allegedly shot dead his neighbour, a 39-year-old woman, and her teenage daughter, who later died in hospital, before setting fire to their house. He then went to the nearby medical centre, where he is accused of shooting dead a 43-year-old lecturer, named locally as Jurgen Damen. Mr Damen had taught medical students at Erasmus University since 2013. Video on social media showed employees and students at the university fleeing the building while others put up signs in windows reading “we can’t get out”. Police marksmen then entered the building and the suspect was arrested inside. While the city now mourns the deaths of the three victims, many have questioned the suspect’s apparent motives with local news outlets suggesting it was a “personal revenge attack”. The neighbour shot dead was said to have filmed Fouad L torturing his rabbit and called police, who responded to find him drunk at his home. Officers found the animals in his house in a poor state and two crossbows in the property, it has been reported. It was also claimed that the suspect had shot a pigeon with a crossbow. Fouad L was prosecuted and convicted for abusing the rabbit in 2021 and given a 40-hour community service order. All the evidence was compiled in a letter from Rotterdam’s Public Prosecution Service and sent to Erasmus, it has emerged since Thursday’s attack. “I assume that the information contributes to your decision whether or not the person concerned is eligible for the basic medical diploma,” concluded the letter, which local media believe resulted in Fouad L not receiving his diploma. The prosecutors’ spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the letter, but declined to comment on the school’s decision not to award a disploma. However, he reportedly posted on social bulletin board 4Chan under the name motorAnon, apparently to confirm the school’s decision, and reveal a feud he had with academics there. “Med school exam committee says they refuse to issue my diploma now despite having all points from the curriculum,” he is said to have written. He also accused teachers of failing him. ”Never try to do anything in academics, especially if you’re not a cuck and insist on speaking your mind like a man,” he posted. Chief prosecutor Hugo Hillenaar said the suspect had a history of police run-ins and “in 2021 he was prosecuted and convicted for animal abuse”. The 32-year-old man is due to appear before a judge on 3 October. Prime minister Mark Rutte said on X, formerly Twitter: “My thoughts go out to the victims of the violence, their loved ones and to all the people who have been in great fear. “Many thanks to the people of the services for their actions and assistance on site.” Read More Three killed in Rotterdam as student in combat gear opens fire at university hospital Dutch police say 2 people are killed in shootings at a university hospital and home in Rotterdam Elite army unit storms ship to seize Ireland’s biggest drugs haul

The viral video has spread to many countries in Africa, but does not show a church pastor taming lions.

President Joe Biden hailed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein as a "pioneering American" and a "true trailblazer" in a statement following her death Friday.

The Californian served for more than three decades and broke new ground for women in US politics.

The United Auto Workers union said 7,000 more members would walk out.

(Removes extraneous wording in first paragraph) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday charged Newell Brands and